The Capitol Room
by Jack V. Briefs
Summary: AU TG Goten's adult life is set. He has a job, a home, a cat.. what else is there? His nineteen yr old niece Pan isn't ready to let him settle and takes him to the Capitol Room where he meets Trunks, the business pioneer who turns his sorted life around.
1. A Prolouge to Hell

I'm back everyone!! I know, I know... what am I doing starting a new fic when I should be working on the next chapter of Confusion... Well, I've gotten the most unbelievable writers block for that story, so I decided to do this one. I have no idea if it will end up being a short or long story. Confusion will definatley be a long one since I'm already on about page fifty and haven't even gotten to the really good part yet. Maybe I'll make this shorter. It all depends on YOU dear reader. Enough of my babbling... ON WITH THE STORY!!  
  
Disclaimer: I *disclaim* any ownership of these characters.  
  
**************  
  
"....yes ma'am, I'll connect you now...."  
  
"....could you repeat that? Fo? Yes, I've found it...."  
  
"....Congratulations! Yes, I've thought about it...."  
  
I took one look around myself at the chaos of my co-workers lives and decided to put my headset back on. The silent buzzing of it's silence was welcome anytime over the other employees business.   
  
At twenty four years old, I like to think I've accomplished a lot. I have my own apartment, a steady, well paying job, a cat... what else do you need? It's a lot more than what I've heard some of my college buddies have. One's got a kid and is poor from child support and another's in prison. And my mom thought I was going to turn out weird.   
  
I can see where she would get this idea. I wasn't exactly the star of our family. No, that title belonged to my older brother Gohan.   
  
'Oh, Gohan, another A. I don't think we have any room on this fridge for it. I'll buy a bulletin board for your next papers.'  
  
By the time my brother was twelve years old, we'd bought one hundred twenty-seven bulletin boards. I stopped counting after awhile. Didn't do much good to my self esteem. That was what my counselor told me anyway.   
  
Ms. Dean. She was something else. She's one of the reasons that I feel therapists exist because parents need someone else to point out the instabilities and problems in there children. I guess that after awhile you grow less confident in that belief if there isn't anyone else to agree with you. I got sick of her after awhile. Therapists were supposed to boost your confidence. So, I told my mom she'd hit on me.   
  
That's why my mother fired her.  
  
Thinking back on it, I suppose it's one of the big things my mother's regretted in her life. Not firing the woman, no not when he'd tried to hit on her baby boy, but because the therapist she'd hired to replace him was a man.  
  
A gay man.  
  
Don't get me wrong, I'm not homophobic. That would make me afraid of myself. I'm just saying my mother has some type of enial-like syndrome where she can't accept that I prefer men and has to blame it on someone else.   
  
She wasn't that far off in this assumption. It was Mr. Thomas that helped realize my sexual preference, but he didn't introduce me to it's practices. This guy was a professional. No hitting on me for him.  
  
After she found out *his* sexual preference, he was fired. This was after I'd realized what I was however and seeing that I was cured, I never had a therapist again. No no no no no.....  
  
She did.  
  
I'm rambling aren't I? Hmm. That's what happens when you talk to people for a living. That's right. I'm a telephone operator, very low acknowledgment by the community, but very good money wise. If it weren't, I wouldn't have done it for two years.  
  
My job is pretty easy. We wear a headset, and use this funky switch table to connect you to whoever it is your calling. We find out who it is your calling when you give us the persons name and we type it into our computer. I've found it kind of funny that we would have three thousand dollar computers with internet access and all that other good stuff when all we did was search by name. For everyone in the entire WORLD. That's a lot of people.   
  
We're not very busy right now. This is expected of course. We're never busy on the weekends. Unless it's a holiday of course. Then we get overtime. The sweetest thing created under Kami.  
  
My shift was nearing it's end. I know this because Norm, the nervous guy who's desk is a few away from mine, sporadically looks at the clock to the left, his not mine.   
  
A tap on my shoulder brings me back to reality and I look up into the brown eyes of the next girl to work my station. I'd smile at her, but I know she won't return it. She's one of those late teenagers into death and Satan and punk. The phase my niece just got of. She's looking at me funny, her drawn on eyebrows lifted and her black painted fingernails taping her black covered arms. Those eyebrows make me wonder if she did it on purpose, or if they were burned off somehow in some terrible terrible freak accident concerning goats and used tennis shoes. I guess I'll never know.  
  
Figuring I'd kept Lady Black as I call her waiting long enough, I set down the headphones and stand, casting one last glance at her before heading to the elevator, jacket in hand.  
  
The front of this particular elevator is glass and since where my place of business is located at the top of a thirty-floored uilding, I get to see what's going on in every single one. I can tell you know, before the thing even starts to move, that it's a lot more  
interesting than what's been occurring on my floor.   
  
The elevator stops about halfway down and a young woman gets on, cell phone up to hear as most people of the fifteenth floor do, followed by two men, one with blue hair, one with purple. The blue one in a gray suit ignores me, as usual. I don't stand out very much with dark eyes and hair. The purple haired one, however, glances at me for a  
moment, ignoring his companion. I look around me and lift my eyebrows, hoping he'll end his scrutiny before he shakes his head a little and looks back towards the blue haired man. We don't make eye contact the rest of the way down.  
  
That was certainly weird. The elevator touches the ground and I wait in the back until they've all left before exiting. I'll never know why I do that. I think I may have a problem with crowds.   
  
My niece begs to differ ten minutes later when I get home and find her at my knees, begging me to take to some hot new club.  
  
"Pan," I began walking to pick up my white and orange-red cat James, "I'm not going to some club with you. I just got home from working a seven hour shift and the first thing you want me to do is go out dancing till Kami knows when? Really." I turned away from her and reached into a low cabinet drawer to pull out some catfood. James, sensing he was about to get food, dug his claws into my chest and I dropped him.   
  
"Dammit."  
  
"C'mon, Uncle Goten. It would be fun. When was the last time you went out anyway? Your turning into a prude just like my dad."  
  
I pause in my pouring of cat food and look at her. Had I really turned into a party pooper. Nah. I've become a responsible adult. Just because I haven't gone out since Jake and I broke up doesn't mean I was *avoiding* going out or anything. I'm just sorting my priorities. Right.  
  
"Pan. A club? Me? What fun would I have?" I closed up the bag and finally let James walk past my foot to his food before I walked over to a dish filled countertop and began to run some water into the sink.  
  
"You used to love clubs. You'd bring me to one almost every week when I was eighteen-"  
  
"Which I shouldn't have. I'm still skeptical when you say you didn't have anything to drink that one night I found that fake ID in your pocket."  
  
A slight brush of crimson crosses her face and she avoids my gaze. I give a small, triumphant smile and grab a few plates to wash.  
  
Many people are surprised when they meet Pan after they've met my brother. My brother, always responsible with a clean record and nothing but adoration to his name produced this phasy, wild young women who's got nothing but ex-boyfriends to her name. Most of whome, are now forced to stay over two hundred feet away from her according to the state of California. She's the rebellious child, growing up in a house full of rules the cause.   
  
"Well, I'm almost twenty now, so you don't have to feel that bad. You could call it my twentieth birthday present. C'mon, please."   
  
Well, she seems to have recovered from my remark.   
  
"By any chance, are you asking me to take you because of some guy?" The rosy hue that returns to her face gives me my answer.  
  
"Based on your past record of boyfriends, is it safe to assume that this guy could get you in on your own?"  
  
"He's not my boyfriend... yet. But I want him to be and I can't ask him to get me in."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because, that's just not what you do, Uncle. How behind are you these days?" I glare at her from where I am currently cleaning one my teacups. Then, I'm am hit with the euphoria that can only come when one reaches an epitomal realization. She was right. I am behind the times. I'm washing a TEACUP! for Kami's sake. I drop the teacup and turn to her.  
  
"Go put James in the guest room, I'll be ready in five minutes."   
  
**************  
  
I emerge from my bedroom and walk in front of where Pan sits on my couch, already changed. How she did it faster than I is mind boggling, but I prefer not to ask. It must be a girl thing. I would have asked her how I looked, but the look she had on her face changed my mind.  
  
"What's wrong with it?" She doesn't just keeps staring at my clothes. That, I swear, is one of the most irritating things someone can do to me.  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"I'm sorry, Uncle Goten, but I can't let you wear that." My gaze drifts to my baggy green cargoes and loose jersey.   
  
"Why not?" She rolls her eyes. Another irritation movement. She stands before me and grabs my collar, pulling me into my bedroom with a surprisingly large amount of strength for a girl. She releases me with such force I fall on my bed and as I sit up, I'm covered in a new outfit, dubbed *cool* by my nineteen year old niece.   
  
"Change into that. I'll be waiting in the lobby." When I get what she calls a shirt off my face, I only glimpse her back before she closes the door.   
  
"Puh, teenagers."  
  
**************  
  
"Remind me why I'm doing this again?" I know she won't answer, just roll her eyes again. I must now revise my mental list of the most annoying things in the world. Rolling your eyes is now being replaced with being dragged through a crowd of you peers who are wearing such revealing clothes your forced to make contact with bare skin.   
  
"You on the list?"  
  
"Son Pan and guest. We're expected in the Capitol room." I look from her to the doorman and watch as a look of surprise crosses his face before he opens the rope and lets us in.  
  
"The Capitol room?"  
  
"Don't ask." I just continue to look at her as we walk through room after room of club, DJ's spinning and men and women dancing on platforms. Each room got more elaborate as we went. We stopped in front of a door, the words Capitol Room written on a gold plate.  
  
"Here we are."   
  
If at all possible, there were even more people in this room than the others. I felt alone, oddly enough, as Pan abandoned me after she spotted her friends.  
  
Leaning back against the wall, I pull at the "shirt" Pan made me wear and gaze at the eyes the check me out as they pass, boys and girls. I only gave them a smile before averting my gaze.  
  
It's official. I am uncomfortable. I do not like this situation. I want to go home. I want to pet James. I want to drink imported tea from my tea cups. I don't care if it's old, or out of the times, or what have you. Just as long as I'm not...  
  
"Whoah." Scratch every word I just said. Is that... I think it is. I saw a small flash of purple hair in a corner of the room and then, it happened. He saw me. I saw him.   
  
Blue met brown. Light blue met dark brown. Sky blue met mud brown. Wait. Scratch that. I don't like my eyes being referred to as dirt. How about.... Mysterious brown. There, better.   
  
I wasn't given much more time to think about this as the purple haired man approached me. I wanted to look away. I really did. But for some reason, the damn man wouldn't avert his eyes!! I didn't want to be rude or anything. How do I know whether or not he's some mafia hitman or something?  
  
As he comes within a few feet, I tense up. This was a good thing because he didn't stop in front of me. NOOooo. He has to forget to stop and fall over onto me. This would be okay if there weren't HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE dancing crazily close enough to endanger the both of us!!   
  
I rolled us away to another corner, near the few booths the place offered. This particular one was occupied by a couple making out at the moment, but that wasn't my biggest worry. The man who was laughing like a maniac below me was. Then I caught a whiff of his breath.  
  
"Your drunk, aren't you?"   
  
I got a few giggles as response and he laughed even harder. It died away a few moments later, but he opened his eyes again and they sparkled with the promise of mischief. He reached up a hand and giggled while brushing down my cheek before tapping me on the lips.  
  
"Your pretty."  
  
I blinked. He giggled again. Excuse me folks, but 'I'm pretty'? I'M PRETTY?! HOW DRUNK IS THIS GUY?!  
  
"I'm sure I am." I gave him a quick smile and got to my feet, hoping the man would get the hint and walk away. Once again, my lack of partying has caught up with me and this person seems to assume that I want him to chase me. Wonderful. Now I have to run.  
  
"Excuse me. Pardon me! Could you let me through here?!" Okay, I know I shouldn't have yelled, but I didn't feel like putting up with a group of orgy/dancing teenagers when I was being chased a total drunken stranger.   
  
"AH!"   
  
Let me rephrase this. A total drunken stranger who is GRABBING AT MY ASS!   
  
I swerve around few more groups and past the DJ who seems to be more drunk than stranger guy back there. Man, how do I get myself into these things.... PAN! That's it, I find Pan. She knows how to lose guys. She gets rid of them faster than you can blink, and I can blink pretty damn fast.  
  
There was one problem with this problem, I realized a few minutes later. PAN WAS GONE. This was a problem indeed.   
  
I was panting now, my body was in perfect shape but not many people can handle running for twenty minutes straight. Drunk guy begs to differ. He took advantage of my slowness and jumped onto my back. I was unprepared for this however and the action sent us both onto the ground.   
  
"ha HA! I win!!" He patted his fists along my back as a dance of victory, and I could only bury my face in my hands and hope that the humiliation would end.   
  
"Time for me to get my prize...."   
  
Uh-oh. That doesn't sound good! I tried to get away but he just used my momentum to turn me over. Before I knew what was happening he leaned down and KISSED ME!! He, whoah, he's *REALLY* kissing me. I try resist but, I don't have much of a choice when my hands are held down and there's a tongue rammed down my throat. Well, that's a bad way to phrase exactly what this guy was doing. It wasn't as violent as all  
that. It was actually very nice. A gentle persuasion until I couldn't resist. Life's a bitch, though. Remember that folks.  
  
As soon as I started to return the kiss, the son of a bitch PULLED AWAY! YOU DON"T DO THAT!!!  
  
He opened his eyes, his face only a few inches from mine.   
  
"Thanks a lot, babes. Your pretty hot. Take this and come again tomorrow. You'll be on the list."  
  
I could only stare wide eyed at him as he got up and stumbled around the room leaving only a card on my chest. Is that how he got every person in here into the Capitol Room. He harassed them, then kissed them senseless? Wait a second... that means he....  
  
He kissed Pan that way.  
  
"Speak of the devil." I looked up and saw a familiar black headed girl near the center of the floor, surrounding by a group of girls I could guess were her friends. I pushed my way through the crowd and grabbed her hand before I began to walk towards the door. Pan didn't like this idea.  
  
"Uncle Goten," she said while struggling to pry off my hand.   
  
"Where are we going? It's not even one o' clock yet, are you crazy? I don't wanna leave!!"   
  
That's it. I've been through too much in one day to listen to her whine.  
  
"Listen Pan," I whispered harshly while pulling her close. "You forced me to go to this club after a hard day of work, then abandon me." She tried to interrupt me but I wasn't gonna have any of that.  
  
"Then, I get chased around by some drunk purple-haired guy who..." I didn't really want to explain to my niece the details of this. What to say? "Did some stuff, then gave me a card to tell me to come back tomorrow. Now, I want to go home to my cat and I'm dropping you off on the way. If Gohan knew about me taking you to a club he'd be  
furious."  
  
"Not if you didn't say that it was a twenty-one and older club."  
  
"I'm going to tell him that."  
  
"Oh."  
  
**************  
  
We drove in silence which wasn't that bad for me. I wasn't really in the mood to talk. I was finally glad that Pan lived by the ocean. Heck, I was glad I lived by the ocean. It's very soothing after being in a closed in space like a club.   
  
I took a deep breath of the sea's breeze and put a little more pressure on the gas. The light of her front porch was coming into view and I wanted to get her there as soon as possible.   
  
She got out of the car with a small goodbye that I hardly heard, as I was already backing out and turning onto the road. I wanted to sleep, but I also wanted to think and doing the most Gohan-esque thing I've ever done in my life, I switched lanes and headed off towards the hills to think.  
  
**************  
  
I laid back on my car and looked at the stars. People don't realize how therapeutic these things are. If they did, there would be a lot of therapists and drugs that would be useless. I wonder if I'm the only one who think about these kinds of things. For example, doesn't anybody wonder what they did to relieve stress in the past before there were miracle drugs? Obviously not.   
  
It can be lonely when that happens. Knowing you have no one to share this kind of information with. Now I know how my mother felt when she thought I was mentally disturbed and no one agreed with her.   
  
It's times like this that I miss Jake the most. He was the closest to my soul-mate that I think I'll ever get. We could always finish eachothers conversations and talk about things like the past and our ideas for the future. He gave me James too. He had it under a different name though. It used to be called Chippy, cause his range-red spots looked like butterscotch chips.  
  
Closing my eyes, I smiled. Jake and I did this a lot. Sitting on hills and staring at the stars, I mean. I never used to do this. My mom was always to forceful with our studies to let us 'waste time' staring at stars.   
  
I know I'm going to fall asleep if I don't get up, but I don't care. All that's important now is sleep. Lot's of sleep.   
  
Just as I was drifting off, I had my second realization for the night.   
  
That guy had thought I was a girl.   
  
This meant something. This way, I didn't have to go to that club tomorrow because he would think a girl was coming. And, AND he doesn't know my name!! This was definitely a good thing.   
  
This would have been the best thing to happen to me all day. However, realizations, like life, can be a big bitch too.   
  
I'm going to see him tomorrow at work.  
  
"SHIT!" I yelled, closing my eyes and shaking my fist and the sky above. Why can't I ever get a break?  
  
I leaned back, never opening my eyes, and rolled into a somewhat comfortable position. I just want to sleep.  
  
Tomorrow is going to be a LONG day.  
  
**************  
  
TBC  
  
Okay. I'm at a loss for words. I have no idea how you people are going to react to this. This idea has just been rolling around in my brain for the last couple of days and I finally decided to give it a shot. Please review, it will only take you a few seconds. I really  
won't know if I should continue this or not... Until the next hapter!!! If there is a next chapter... 


	2. Brothers, Friends, and Assface

This chapter's a little shorter than planned, only eight pages long, but I'll try to make it up with the next one. I just got back from a twelve day vacation visiting my sister, so, I just wrote this at midnight. I'm sorry if it sucks, but her goes nothing!!  
  
Disclaimer: Do I have to do this again?! I just got home from a four hour plane ride and a one hour car ride, and you STILL want me to say I don't own this?! FINE!! *sniffles* I....I... I DON'T OWN DBZ!!!!  
*Jack's feminine side kicks in and can be seen huddled in the corner crying* I HOPE YOUR HAPPY!  
  
**************  
  
Well, this certainly sucks. How bad has society gone that a person can't even ponder their purpose and existence without waken up to a cop and handcuffs? What kind of homeless person drives a BMW?! Please don't tell me my taxes are going to these cops. Do I LOOK like a homeless person to you?  
  
I made the mistake of asking the morning guard this and the way he reacted let me know that this man had not had his donuts.   
  
For two years.  
  
So, now I'm sitting here in my little dingy corner with moss stuck in my shoes and twigs stuck in my hair, sitting on a blanket that smelt like something was killed, buried, and dug out again on it. For those with a lack of imagination, it really REALLY smelled.  
  
The police officer from before, whom shall now be known to you all as Assface, apprached my cell and told me I had one phonecall to make to prove my identity.   
  
I stood with my head held high and didn't even grace him with a glance as I walked around his girth towards the red telephone at the end of the hall. I found it hard to keep up my chin as I did so when I recieved various catcalls from a few of the cells. It would have been nice if a boy from school in my childhood hadn't told me the horror stories of men from jail/prison and what they did.   
  
Stepping up to the phone, I gulped down the idea that now *I* was a man in jail, and dialed the number to Gohan's office. He's always there.   
  
Imagine my surprise when I got the answering machine.  
  
After listening to his personalized message, I told him where I was, what he needed to do, and to do it fast. I would have asked him to bring some fast food on his way too, but Assface told me to get off. I walked past him and back into my cell. As he turned his portly self, I stuck my tongue out at his back.  
  
"Stupid assface," I mumbled.  
  
~30 Minutes Later~  
  
I never thought it possible, but I believe I'm now getting used to that whole, dead person smell on this blanket. This terrifies me, as it would any normal person who had a functioning nose.   
  
Standing, I began to pace my small cell once more. I didn't understand what was taking Gohan so long to get on the phone. What could he be doing that would keep him from going to work. Then, it clicked.  
  
"DAMMIT!!"   
  
I slammed my fist into wall beside me.  
  
It was Saturday.  
  
~30 Minutes Later~  
  
I'm sure he'll be coming any time soon. Any time now. He has to check his work messages. It's like a compulsive disorder with him.   
  
He will check his messages.  
  
'Sure he will.'  
  
What the hell was that?!  
  
'I'm the voice in your head.'  
  
Dear lord. Have I become that crazed after being in a cell for what, FOUR HOURS?!   
  
There is no way I'm talking to voices in my head. Crazy people do that, and I'm NOT crazy.  
  
~15 Minutes Later~  
  
So, Greg(turns out the voice in my head has a name) What's it like being inside my head all the time?  
  
'Words cannot describe it.'  
  
Really? Is it that good.  
  
'......Yyyyeeaahhhh. Good. HA!'  
  
I am no longer talking to voice in my head. Stupid voice.  
  
~5 Minutes Later~  
  
I've made a few more revelations in this cell. Jail is a really good place to think. Once you've droned out all the cussing, the mumbling, and have lost your sense of smell, that is.   
  
Maybe I will go to that thing tonight. What harm could it do? The guy probably won't recognize me though. Not if he was drunk enough to think I was a girl. My features aren't THAT feminine are they?   
  
Rubbing my face with hands, feeling it's soft features and large eyes, I curse. Okay, I may be a tad on the feminine side when speaking of looks but not enough to be thought of as a girl by a drunk guy right? RIGHT?  
  
New revelation. Thinking is not something to do while in jail.   
  
~1 Hour and 27 Minutes Later~  
  
Nothing is more embarrasing than having your older brother, the person you looked up to as a kid and the one your parents adored, pick you up in prison in a brand new Mercedes. Life Just Isn't Fair.  
  
I munched on the burger my brother had gotten me. That's one nice quality about Gohan. He always remembers to bring food. I rolled my window down all the way and put out a folded in arm to rest my head on. The burger is forgoteen and replaced with a shake and I close my eyes, relaxing and taking in the fresh air. It's a nice change from in the jail.  
  
The car hit's a bump causing both of our bodies to fly into the air. I hit my head and use both of my hands to rub the afflicted area.   
  
God, I am sooooo stupid.  
  
I don't know whether it was my stomach or my brain that alerted me first that I didn't have a shake anymore. I looked in the rear view mirror and gasped. All over the side of my brother's new car was chocolate shake.  
  
"What's wrong, Goten."  
  
"Nothing," I squeak out. "I just.... thought I... saw a... person....."  
  
I know he's looking at me funny but I prefer not to confirm it.   
  
Ignorance is bliss.   
  
**************  
  
My beach home comes into view and I relax a little bit. My car was already there, thanks to the free towing the police officers offered once they realized they'd made a mistake.   
  
"There you go, Goten," Gohan said as I started to get out of the car. T turned a little and gave him a small smile before closing the door.  
  
"You want to come in?" I ask before I think.  
  
"Sure."   
  
"WAIT!! I mean, I forgot, there's this big....thing I have to go to. You know, lunch. Lots of big people. Could help me go places in the company you know."  
  
He gives me a suspicious glance before he turns the car on.  
  
"Okay. Just call me if you need anything."  
  
"Yep. Bye Gohan."  
  
As I watched my brother peel out of my driveway I smiled. This day was turning out better than it appeared when I was in that cell. I still had my limbs, but I was sure I wouldn't once Gohan got home and saw the passenger side of his car. This, I could worry about later though. Right now, I have some serious bathing to do.  
  
**************  
  
Ahh..... This is an improvement. Sitting in the bathtub has always been one of my favorite things to do. That, and eating. And watching the stars. And watching movies. And... Okay, I've got a lot of favorite things to do. It's one of them.  
  
I have little fishies that are painted along the wall of my bathroom. I'm glad I did that. They're fun to look at. Cheers you up like those little smiley faces or when your friend's drunk and tries to make a pass at you. Like that.  
  
My bubblebath has no defined smell. This is probably because of the fact that I used six different bottles to make enough bubbles. I'm a very bubble person. That's right, bubble not 'bubbly.' I've dated enough girls to tell the difference.  
  
That was during my early teens though, so I don't know if my opinion is very valid in that area.  
  
Anyway, I'm meeting a friend for lunch before I head to work so I guess I better get out of the tup.   
  
EWWWwwwww..... I'm all...pruny. Gross. I knew it was going too well.  
  
**************  
  
"I see you took a bath before you came," my friend Julia begins as I sit down at our usual spot at an outdoor cafe. Julia, she's always so straight-forward I just want to punch her. All in good fun, of course.  
  
"I see you just got some," I reply, taking in her somewhat ruffled appearance. "Say, twenty minutes ago?"  
  
"Is it that obvious?"   
  
"No, I've just known you too long." I slid into my seat across from her and picked up the menu even though I'd been here enough times to have it memorized.  
  
"So, who's the new guy?"  
  
"His names Giorgio-"  
  
"Oh, no."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Giorgio? It oozes creepy old italian gay man."  
  
"No it doesn't." She whacks me with the blunt end of of knife.  
  
"Ow. What was that for?! Now I'll get a bruise. You know how sensitive my skin is!"  
  
"Oh please," she snorted. "It's not like theres anyone who's going to mourn the mar on your skin."  
  
"Actually, there is someone."  
  
"Really? Who?"  
  
I leaned forward, enjoying her sudden interest in my life.  
  
"No one really. I met him at a club last night."  
  
"Mm. Clubs are always good for meeting people."  
  
"Mmhm."   
  
We take a break to order our meals and lay back.   
  
"So, how long?" she asks after a few more minutes.  
  
"How long what?"  
  
"How long before you have sex with the guy and drop him?"   
  
I choked on my water.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"C'mon, Goten. You can't fool me. You haven't been able to hold a boyfriend since you broke up with Jake. It's time to move on."  
  
Ha. Easy for you to say. Bitch. I hate it when she's right. Why do women always have to be right?  
  
"Because we're women. And we know," she leaned forward till her lips brushed my ear. "Everything."  
  
She pulled away and smirked as the waiter laid our food before us. I digested her words of wisdom along with twelve ounces of steak. Though I hate to say it, it's true about the whole guy thing. I guess I just don't feel like trying anymore.  
  
"I give it a week, tops."  
  
"C'mon."  
  
"I dare you. I dare you to try and make it work with this guy. Don't even start," she said as I began to protest.  
  
"I don't care if the guy has a disease, bad breath, bad manners, or the personality of a rock. You, my dear Goten, are going to make it work. For at least two months."  
  
I would have tried to talk her out of it, but I knew it wouldn't work. Once she's made a decision there was no persuading her.   
  
Damn women and their un-persuasiveness.   
  
**************  
  
Work sucks. It always sucks though, doesn't it? Guess you can never win. Okay, the *actual* work part was fine, but the getting *to* work was the problem.   
  
Mr. Purple-haired tranger-drunk-guy-who-grabs-other-strangers-  
assess-and-then-procceeds-to-kiss-the-other-stranger has revealed himself as the upcoming Mr. Briefs, a man with the an intelligence to leave Einstein in the dust and the integrity to use it. Must be a Sagittarious (AN-ME!).   
  
Anyway, as I'm getting of the trolley infront of my building, I see this 'Mr. Briefs' being barraged by a bunch of reporters as he leaves his limo followed by a blue-haired woman who's authoritive aura I could sense from the twenty feet away from her I was.   
  
Just as I'd expected, she pushed them aside and followed them inside. The reporters seemed to give up and dissipitated which allowed me to enter my building. That's when it happened.  
  
"You!"   
  
I looked up to see the Briefs guy looking at me wide-eyed and the blue haired woman's head making an appearance by the side. He was pointing at me, and I was scared. I mean REALLY scared. Like 'oh my god, I'm gonna die.' So I did something I believed to be a developed pattern.   
  
I turned and ran towards the stairs.  
  
I heard the elevator stairs starting to close and him cursing as he forced them open again. When I heard his footsteps on the stairs a little ways below me, I got even more scared. How is that possible you ask? Easy. Now I was 'oh my god, I'm gonna die and then be brought back so he can kill me again' kind of scared. There's a difference.  
  
"WAIT!" He yelled at me but I didn't stop running. I wasn't liking this. "Little shit," I made out him mumbling as he picked up his pace. The guy showed that he was yet again more fit than I was and caught up, grabbing my ankles. I wasn't prepared for this and fell face fiirst onto the floor.   
  
My forehead held against the tile, I closed my eyes and prayed this was a dream. I hoped that if I stayed where I was he would go away like a good boy and leave me alone. He didn't like this idea very much.   
  
How did I know? Well, I kinda got suspicious when he grabbed the back my pants, PUT HIS FINGER UNDER THE MATERIAL, and pulled me up a few feet so I was hanging by his fingertips, my ass sticking up in the air and my face glaring at my shoes.   
  
"Ugh." Unfortunatly, I was close enough to smell them and I could tell some lazy citizen hadn't cared enough to clean up after themselves, causing innocent people, mainly ME!, to step in it.   
  
"Let me down!" I tried to sound threatening, but how could you take someone in my position seriously?   
  
"Look, I need your help."  
  
"Well, if what your doing now is any indication, I'm afraid I can't sleep with you."   
  
His eyes got really wide then and I realized that I should've kept my mouth shut.  
  
"OW!! Shit..." I rubbed my jaw. The stupid fuck shit DROPPED ME!!! MY SKIN IS SENSITIVE!!! YOU CAN'T JUST DROP ME!!!!!!!!  
  
"Kami, I sorry..." He was gonna go into a string of apologizes, I could sense it. Well, not today mister. So, I let my male instincts kick and turned, doing the most manly and yet cowardly thing in my life.  
  
I punched him in the balls. He groaned and fell to the floor giving me enough time to get away and escape to the safety of my desk.   
  
Now that I think about it, I do that a lot when we're not busy, I shouldn't have done that. That was a pretty low blow.   
  
Literally.  
  
Maybe I should apologize to him. Yeah, I decided, that's what I'd do. I'd go to that room tonight, walk up to him, apologize, and..... do something I can't think of right now.   
  
Kami, I am really, REALLY, stupid.   
  
**************  
  
"I am set."   
  
I turned my head at a few different angles, posing in my new clothes bought especially for tonight. Cool shoes, cool tight pants, cool shiny shirt. I liked shiny things. That way, if I ever got bored and didn't have anything to think about, I could zone out and stare at my shirt. Very useful, believe you me.  
  
James was sitting on my bed staring at me as I posed some 'manly' poses. The effect was lost when I burst out laughing. How men could do that was mind boggling.   
  
My jacket and keys were awaiting me on my chair, a small package of Certs Mints on top. I popped one in my mouth and put on the jacket. I was gonna set this straight, no pun intended.   
  
It kind of sucks I don't plan on talking to this guy again. He's pretty hot for a smart ass.   
  
**************  
  
"Hi, I'm-"   
  
"Go on in. Mr. Briefs is waiting for you."   
  
"Oh." I stared at the bouncer as he removed the rope and let me pass. I felt akward, walking through all the dancing bodies, trying to remember where Pan had taken me.   
  
A few people bumped into me, but I recovered for the most part. The bruise that I would get from that couldn't compare to the bruise I had on my chin.   
  
Now I started to push through the crowds with more enthusiasm, bristling from the memory.   
  
Then, I saw it. In shiny letters on a plaque in front of a now guarded door were the three words that were to seal my fate that night.  
  
The Capitol Room.  
  
**************  
  
I guess I'll end the fic here. It's kind of a cliffhanger, if you knew what I know's gonna happen. It's gonna be HUGE!!!!! Like, REALLY BIG kind of huge. Like, SUPER HUGE!! It's gonna be big. I love writing this fic. It's a lot of fun for me. I hope to come out with the next chapter, though I'm still trying to focus on my other two, Business Man(which hasn't been doing too well review wise) and Confusion (which I'm very proud of.) I've also been thinking about writing a one shot, maybe a lemon if that's what the people want. So LET ME KNOW!!! AND REVIEW!!!!! 


	3. Goten's Night and Day of Surprises and H...

Hello again. I decided to get out another chapter because everyone's reviews just really got to me. I want to thank you all so VERY VERY MUCH!!! for your supportive reviews!! It really gave me a reason to update if you know what I mean. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the next chapter!!   
  
Disclaimer: ...........Oh, I'm supposed to say I don't own it now? *Jack looks to director and he nods* Oh, okay. *looks down at script* I don't own DBZ. Was that good? *director nods again* Good.   
  
**************  
  
I settle into my bathtub once again, making small noise of pleasure as my body adjusts to the temperature. I can feel all of my muscles begin to relax and I smile.   
  
This is exactly what I need after a night last night.   
  
**************  
  
I can't recall a time I've felt this nervous before. The thing that really bugs me is I don't even know WHY I feel nervous. It's one of those gut instincts, where you just know.   
  
The two guards part as I reach them, though the taller one keeps his arm on the door.   
  
"Are you ready?" What does he mean 'am I ready?' Ready for what? Better answer him. This was a good idea since the guy seemed to be annoyed. That and constipated. Maybe he was annoyed because I was taking so long and the it constipated time...I'm thinking too hard.  
  
"Yeah, I'm, uh, ready."  
  
"Okay."   
  
The door was open and was blinded by the flash of hundreds of television and newspaper camera's taking pictures of me. Great. That's just what I needed, my picture pasted all over the local papers. I don't even like this outfit. What'll the people at work say...  
  
WAIT ONE SECOND! Just WHY are there a bunch of people taking my picture?!  
  
The two guards from earlier must have sensed that I wasn't moving, not that it wasn't hard to see, and the taller one hoisted me over his shoulder like a was some.... child of some sort. The other one seemed to just push people out of his way. I can see how someone would want that kind of job. You'd definately get a power trip from that.   
  
Resting my elbow on the guys back, I scrunch my face as an unpleasant thought.  
  
I am a magnet for men who like to put me in interesting positions. Well, that sounds kinda wrong. And kinda kinky. That's enough for me to forget about it being wrong.   
  
"OWW!!!" I summon my meanest glare and stare at the blond woman who just whacked me on the cheek with her microphone. That is IT!!! I am really getting sick of people CONSTANTLY MARRING MY SKIN!!!  
  
"Listen here lady," I begin, grabbing the lapels of her business suit and dragging her along with me. "You've got a lotta nerve. Shoving a microphone in my face to ask me Kami knows what, then proceed to HIT ME WITH IT, and now, what? Are you crying?" Bringing her closer to my face, she was indeed crying.  
  
"What are you crying for?!" All noise from her ceases and she opens one eye. Seeing she has my attention, she opens them both and brushes off her suit.  
  
"Sir, are you telling me that you really don't know why your here?" My mouth drops open. Is this women totally deaf and blind. Not only did I SAY that I didn't know what she was going to ask me about, but the position I'm in would lead one to believe that the above is true. How many people who know what there doing are found being carried over a bodyguards shoulder like a damsel in distress, WHEN THEY ARE A MAN!!!  
  
I drop the woman and shake my head. Don't tell me even this sober, or at least who I hope to be sober, bodyguard doesn't think I'm a woman too! I drag my hands down my face and glare at the ceiling.   
  
That is the last straw. I'm getting plastic surgery.   
  
Unfortunatly, I don't get the time to finalize any of these plans when I'm tossed onto a stage where I'm guessing the DJ had been the previous night. Where the hell had everything gone?  
  
Looking around I saw that the room had been emptied out and one would never have been able to identify this as the hottest club in the building.   
  
"Ladies and Gentleman," Mr. Briefs began, his purple bangs swishing in front of his face. "I've brought you all here to make a very important announcement. I'm getting MARRIED!!!"   
  
WWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTT?!!!!!!!!  
  
"That's right," he continues, swinging his arm around my waist and pulling me close. "At least it will be if he accepts." I blink and turn around just as he goes to the floor, kneeling with a ring box extended.   
  
It was like one of those out of body experiances where you just watch yourself doing the actions, but your not really doing them. My eyes widened the small box was opened and there was the ring. THE ring. It had a silver band (how he knew I was allergic to gold I don't know) with small diamonds ringing around it. I took it out of the box and pulled it closer to my faces, realizing they formed two kissing doves. In the middle was the center diamond. It seemed to have a bluish tint to it, though it could have just been the lights.  
  
"Wow..." was all I could manage to say. This moment was truly beautiful. Then of course, some jackass had to ruin it.  
  
"I told you all he was a stoner. Look at him weaving around and his eyes are all cloudy. You can't tell me he's not on something." I hear a growl and look up, surprised to find that it had come from Trunks. He leaped off the stage in one big leap, tackling the guy to the floor. Talk about defensive.  
  
"Uh, Trunks!!" What to say WHAT TO SAY?! "Honey?" That did me a hell of a lotta good. "Please, let him be. I'll marry you!!" That was an act of desperation, I tell myself.   
  
He looks up at me, landing one more punch as he does so before standing, the smile on his face so wide it's unnatural. The buttons have burst off the top of his business jacket and it flaps around him as the crowds part and his slightly ruffled hair bounces as he walks.   
  
It was like my own personal cologne commercial.   
  
He stepped onto the platform and gave me a brilliant grin before his mouth descended on mine. I can't remember ever being kissed like this. Not even by Jake, and I thought he was the best in the world!  
  
Trunks parted my lips with his tongue before seeking out my own and caressing every curve and dip of my mouth as though this was the only chance he'd ever get to kiss me. His hands went to my waist and neck, pulling me closer to him while bending me for better access.   
I allowed him to do this and to be honest, I think that at that time I would have let him do anything he wanted to. It was really that enjoyable.   
  
When he pulled away, the smile was still there before he turned to the crowd and raised arms. The camera's flashed and that's when I knew it.  
  
I'm in deep shit.  
  
**************  
  
Leaning my head back, I stare at the celing and began to regret my earlier descision to not continue painting fish on the ceiling too. Of course, Julia had suggeted I paint a man but that would creep the hell out of me.   
  
My well trained foot reaches down and unhooks the bath plug and I just sit there, letting the water drain until it's gone. I wanted to enjoy this bath as long as I could. Or at least, until I was as pruny as I could stand.   
  
The fluffy white towel hanging behind my door is just stared at because I'm feeling a little dangerous today. Should I walk around naked? All twelve feet from my bathroom to my bedroom? I think I shall.  
  
'I don't think that's a good idea..'   
  
Greg, that you?   
  
'Yeah..'  
  
Shut up.   
  
Now that that problems solved, and knowing that the voice in my head disaproves of my decision, I open the door and venture into my living room....  
  
to find that almost all of my living room furniture is gone.  
  
"What the hell is going on?!" I see some mover boys carrying boxes out of my bedroom and approach them.  
  
"Excuse me, can you tell me- WHAT?!" The kid was just staring at me the rude little shit!   
  
"Uh, sir, you know your naked right?" I blink at him before straightening myself.  
  
"Of course I know that. This is my home!! And I can't get dressed when you are carrying off my clothes," I say before pointing down at his box, clearly marked CLOTHES.  
  
"Right." I reach in and grab a pair of boxers and slide them on before closing the box.  
  
"So, why is that your here?"   
  
"Your Son Goten right?" Nodding, he continues. "Well, Mr. Briefs asked that we have your stuff moved to his house."  
  
"Really?" What a JACKASS!!! "And where is this Mr. Briefs?" The kid points toward my back door and there he is, wearing another business suit, this one silver with black stripes, talking on his cell phone. I also noticed he doesn't look that bad in glasses, but I'm not going to let him distract me.  
  
"Excuse me," I begin while grabbing the phone out of his hand and hanging it up. "But what in the HELL do you think your doing?!"  
  
"Goten," he purrs in a lower voice, advancing on me until he's close enough to wrap his hands around my waist. "If we're engaged we should at least live with another." I nod dumbly as he starts to rub my back but that I snap out of it and glare at him.  
  
"If we're engaged, we should actually KNOW EACHOTHER!!"   
  
"Calm down." He kisses me quickly and walks over to yell at one of the movers.   
  
"Dammit, stop doing that!" I yell at him once I've recovered my senses and walked over to him.  
  
"Doing what?" He asks, his face the picture of innocence.  
  
"You know damn well what, you Jackass! Stop distracting me with small foreplay!!!!" 'Please don't, please don't PLEASE DON'T,' I beg mentally.   
  
"I'm sorry. But look, I've gotta show the movers where to go so I'll see you at home in an hour or two." I widen my eyes.   
  
"And where in the pits of hell is home?"   
  
"It's up your ass," he jokes, before walking out my door. I would have retaliated, but he was gone by the time I'd recovered from the remark and had stormed out my door.   
  
I frown and sit Indian style. Well, I was GOING to sit, but then somthing sharp brushed the top of my butt. Reaching in, I pulled out a small card.  
  
That clever bastard had snuck his card into my boxers!! Wait, how the hell did he do that?   
  
Anyway, at least they didn't take my car...  
  
"AHHHHH!!!!!" Running up to my garage I find the door open and the garage empty. I was really gonna start up a cussing storm until I noticed another card on the ground.   
  
"Turn around. What the hell good is that gonna do?" I did as the car said and gasped. There was my own Corvette Convertible, top down and blinding me with it's shade of brilliant blue. Dancing around in my happiness, I approached it and saw the key already in the ignition. I didn't need anymore prompting than that.  
  
Turning on the engine, I back out of my driveway and head towards the city, giving my house one more wave goodbye. Now, where to find my new home....  
  
"Wait a second, I'm not wearing pants. I should buy some pants." Turning right instead of left, I head into a clothing store district. It's more of the peace and love area of town near the gay district, so people will consider me just wearing my boxers a fashion statement.   
  
I walk into a store that looks promising and no sooner had my foot stepped through than one of the sales ladies, a woman in her forties wearing a tube top and miniskirt approached me.   
  
"Are you that dark haired guy from TV?" She glances down at my left hand and gasps.  
  
"My god you ARE!! Louise, c'mere!!! It's Trunks Briefs fiance!"  
  
Do I not have a name?  
  
It turns out that Lousie is a very manly looking woman in her late sixties. My guess is she's her mother.  
  
"Louise, darling, it's him!" Okay, maybe they're lovers...  
  
"It's wonderful to meet you," she said in a husky voice as she extended her hand. I smile and shake it back.   
  
"So, you two must have been celebrating for quite awhile," the other woman said, noticing my lack of clothing. "Let me guess, you couldn't find your pants?!" she joked. I gave a curt smile, really wishing I'd choosen somewhere else.  
  
"No no no," Louise began. "You found your pants, but you couldn't wear them because you were in too much of a hurry to get them off!!" The two barked in laughter, seeming to have fazed me out. I took this oppurtunity to bolt and ran out the door to the street.   
  
This was another big mistake.   
  
"IT'S HIM!!!" I hear a swarm of guys and girls yell. My mouth drops open as they begin to chase me.  
  
"SHITT!!!!!!!!!!!" I yell, turning and running in the direction farthest away from them. They were beginning to gain after a few minutes and I knew I would have to give up.  
  
A horn honked to my life and I looked over to see a limo. A female hand poked out and gestured me over with her finger before opening the door. I decided to take my chances and jump. I let out a sigh of relief before getting a good look at my savior.  
  
"Hello, Son Goten."  
  
**************  
  
There you have it. Yet another chappie for my fic. I just got the internet today, so now when I finsih my chapters I can update right away instead of having to wait about a week. Well, please let me know what you think. I can't help but feel some of you might be disappointed. I'll try to make it up to you if I did. Thanks so much!! 


	4. A Mysterious Woman, A Huge Ass Home

Hey all you who reviewed!! I'm back with yet another chapter. I'm sorry if you were confused in the last chapter. The end of the second chapter was Goten at the club, right in front of the Capitol Room door. The next chapter began with him sitting in the tub and reflecting on what had happened once the doors were opened. Sorry once again if I confused you!! You'll find out about the card thing a little later. Other than that, I guess there really isn't much else to say. Well, see you at the bottom!!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or yummy Trunks or delicious Goten. *cries*  
Must we go through this torture every chapter?!  
  
**************  
  
I look at the extended hand with a bit of suspicion before extending my own and shaking it.  
  
"I'm Bra Briefs," she begins, removing her sunglasses. "I'm Trunks' sister. Have you heard of me?"  
  
I shake my head. If I had known her I wouldn't be staring like an idiot in my boxers. Well, the fact that I was in my boxers probably wouldn't be changed, but that's beside the point. Her perfect eyebrows raise but she wipes the look away quickly.  
  
"I'm a fashion editor for Jordan, the international fashion magazine. I'm here to get you looking like the rich person you now are."   
  
"Really? So, being engaged to your brother after having met him once doesn't bother at all?" A small chuckle escaped my mouth but she didn't seem to find it funny. What an odd woman.  
  
"Anyway, I'm supposed to make you presentable. Being engaged to a hot new up and comer like my brother is going to be a full time job and you have to look your best now don't you?" I shrug. I didn't see what was wrong with my wardrobe. I glance down and blanch. Or lack thereof.  
  
"I had planned on going shopping anyway."   
  
"I would hope so." I spot her eyes a little lower than I feel comfortable with and cross my legs.   
  
"Right. So, where are we going exactly?"   
  
"I'm taking you to Armani and the Banana Republic. One for formal, one for casual. Is that alright with you?"   
  
"Sure, why not." Who would say it wasn't when you've had to live off of the clearance rack since you graduated high school?   
  
She nods and gestures to the driver behind her. From what I knew of my location, it would be at least ten minutes before we got there. Great. Now it'll all be filled with either meaningless conversation or an uncomfortable silence.  
  
I look up and see her with her sunglasses on once again, looking out the window.  
  
Okay, uncomfortable silence it is.  
  
My fingers fiddle with the silk of my boxers and scanning the traffic outside I lean back. Now it'll be twenty minutes. Traffic really sucks in this part of town. It's a Sunday, people are supposed to be at home, doing something other than busying up the streets.   
  
Twenty FIVE minutes later, we are at the front entrance to Armani. I'm now covered by a spare jacket of Trunks' that was in the backseat of the car. It's only a little big on me. I feel like a homeless guy in it though. That isn't a good feeling.  
  
A man with sleeked back hair and a curly mustache approaches us and kisses Bra on both cheeks.  
  
"Madame Bra, I'm so glad you came. And you," he begins, looking me from head to toe before meeting my eyes once again. "Must be that dark haired man from last night."  
  
DAMMIT!! That's IT!! I'm am SO SICK of being referred to by something other than my NAME!!  
  
"SON GOTEN!!!" I yell and the entire store turns to look at me.  
  
"Excuse me?" the guy asks.  
  
"Son Goten. That is my NAME. Not dark haired guy, not the guy from TV, not Trunks' fiance. Son Goten." I cross my arms and glare.  
The guys adjusts his collar and looks to Bra before turning and heading towards an elevator.  
  
"Right, now Mr. Sun-"  
  
"SON!"  
  
"Son, excuse me, would you please follow me this way. Our tailors for someone of your caliber are upstairs." I don't know how to react to this comment, so I just follow him into the elevator. Bra whispers something in his ear and he nods. They better not be talking about me or I will just......I dunno. I'll do something insane.   
  
Greg tries to make a comment, but I've zoned him out by now. It was surprisingly easy.   
  
The elevator isn't all that impressive, unless your into the whole carved wood and silk pillowed walls and stuff. The walls are really comfortable though....STOP IT!! I can't enjoy the elevator of a place that says I have CALIBER, whatever the HELL that means..   
  
"Mr. Sun?" I glare, but don't bother to correct him as he leads Bra and I out of the elevator. A few other good looking young are standing in their boxers, being measured at every angle.  
  
I'm surprised when I realize that I haven't even glance at any of them. This is odd for me because that's like a rule that I have. The light catches my ring and I look down. OOOOOoooohhhh, I get it now. I'm too distracted by the ring to notice them. Hm. Cool.  
  
"Now, if you'll stand here, we'll take your measurements..."  
  
**************  
  
Four hours later, I'm back in the limo, and at least five thousand dollars worth of clothes surrounding me. I've got every kinda thing I'll ever need. Maybe I should give him a thank you card... Wait, I'm engaged to him. That wouldn't make sense...Would it? Now I'm confused.   
  
"Anyway, where are we going now?" Bra looks over at me and smiles, her blue eyes twinkling through her sunglasses.   
  
"We're going home. Well, you are anyway. I live with my girlfriend on the otherside of town." I blink.  
  
"Girlfriend? Your gay?" Her eyes widen at me and I immediately regret the outburst.  
  
"Sorry, that came out wrong." She smiles at me and returns to looking out the window. "Don't worry about it. She's moving out today anyway." Tilting my head, I soften my gaze.  
  
"I'm sorry. Are the two of you broken up?"  
  
"We will be. That's why we cut shopping short." SHORT?! She calls FOUR HOURS of shopping SHORT?!   
  
Deciding that saying this out loud wouldn't be the best thing in the world, I nod and look at the floor.  
  
What have I gotten myself into?  
  
**************  
  
The sun is just beginning to set as we approach what looks to me like a Regency hotel, only bigger and longer and wider....  
  
"Welcome home," Bra tells me, grinning at the look on my face. HOLY SHIT!! THIS is my HOME?!!   
  
It had to be at least five stories tall, and about an eighth of a mile long. French windows adored it from every angle and long balconies accompanied it. Ivy crawls up the sides and exotic looking flowers cover the large grounds.  
  
Bra laughed at my gawking and helps me out of the limo.  
  
"Most people have that kind of reaction. You'll get used to it."  
  
"Wow," Is all I can get myself to say. I've never in my life seen such a house and I'm pretty damn sure I never will. And I GET TO LIVE THERE!! WHO-HOO!  
  
**************  
  
My eyes scan my body in the full mirror, taking in the way the dark blue pants cling lightly to my legs, the loose silk white shirt not fully buttoned and hanging from my upper body. All in all, it makes one hell of a picture if I may say so. Looking over, I see James asleep in his personal kitty bed, complete with curtains and on demand food dispenser. All this and I still haven't seen Trunks yet.   
  
Sighing, I sit on the bed as I remove my shoes and slide them into a pair of slippers. This dinner can't be THAT formal. As I go to put on my tie, I realize how much I contradict myself.   
  
The clock on the side of my bed tells me I still have an hour and a half before I'm meeting him. What's a guy supposed to do in a house he's never been in before?  
  
The answer to this question is simple....EVERYTHING!!  
  
Deciding to start on the floor I was already on, the fourth floor, I headed south towards the other end of the house. They were at least twenty doors on each side and I was gonna try them all!  
  
Opening the first door, my sense are hit with must be the most foul smelling smell I've ever had the misfortune of smelling. It was worse, believe it or not, than that one blanket in that cell!  
  
I slam the door quickly and run down the hall. I'd always found it best to skip a few things after you make a mistake. This wasn't the theory I should've used when I was putting together a playground set though...That wasn't the best idea I'd ever had.  
  
A melodic sound struck my ears and I stopped. Looking around, there didn't seem to be any sourse until I took a step back. A door, old looking and carved with an older style seemed to be the bringer of the amazing sound.  
  
The door opened without a sound and taking a quick wary whiff, I stepped in.   
  
My mouth dropped to the floor as my eyes took in the site before me. Red covered chairs were in rows, the edges covered with a wood carving similiar to that on the door. Stair lights shined every few steps, leading up the large stage that held five or six older teens, all dressed in outfits that didn't suit the century.  
  
Their voices carried to me and I recognized a few of them as those of Romeo and Juliet. Not the most original play they could of put on, but from what I was hearing the actors and actresses were doing a good job of making me forget that fact.  
  
I walked, as though in a daze, towards the front of the seats and took a seat. It seems I was too entranced to realize that someone was sitting beside me. A small cough drew my attention and I took in the sight of a girl, looking to be only in her twenties smiling at me.  
  
"Hello. You must be Mr. Son." She flashed me a smile and held out her hand.   
  
"Well, it's nice that some people know my name." She gave me a perplexed look, but I didn't feel like going into detail right now.   
  
"So, are you in the play?" She laughed and turned her attention to the stage.  
  
"I'm the director." I blinked at looked up as well.  
  
"Well, that's quite an accomplishment." I knew it was more than I could say for myself at twenty four. Wait a second...my life didn't seem this pathetic three days ago... I really need to resort my priorities. The last thing I need is to start thinking less of myself just because of Trunks.  
  
"Thank you. I'd like to think so too. If it weren't for Bra, I probably wouldn't have this job though."  
  
"Really? Is she your inside connection?"  
  
"Well, she's my lover." My eyes widened, doing another quick scan, taking in her brown hair and eyes and slightly tanned skin. So this was the girl Bra had been talking about. That meant...  
  
"Uh, Mr. Son? Are you okay? You went cross-eyed there for a second."   
  
"I did?" Weird. That hasn't happened in awhile. She nodded and I shrugged.   
  
"Sorry. So, um, how long have the two of you been together?"   
  
Her eyes lit up and she smiled a look I've been oh so familiar with. She was in love with her. SHIT!   
  
"Well, it's kind of silly really.." Oh, DOUBLE SHIT! Those words are only used in love/obsessed relationships. Poor girl. I watched as she continued to talk about one thing or another and saw that special twinkle in her eyes everytime she mentioned Bra.  
  
"..And that was that."   
  
"How romantic..." She looked at me funny and I meantally hit myself.  
  
"I didn't think having her take me out of a porta potty's blue stuff very romantic."   
  
"True, true, but that's a great story to tell the grandkids, wouldn't it be?"   
  
"Yeah, your right." She looks at her watch and smirks. "Boy, time sure flies doesn't it? Alright people, practice is over! Good job. I'll see you all on Saturday for the performance." We both stood and she shook my hand again.   
  
"Well, it was a pleasure to meet you Mr. Son."   
  
"Yes, same to you. Hope to see you again." Her eyes betrayed the fact that I'd hinted it wasn't likely. All well. If Bra's words were true, I wouldn't have to worry about seeing her again at all.   
  
********************  
  
I'd left her soon after and continued my exploration. There wasn't all that much else in the rooms. From what I could see they were just being used for storage. Then, I was at the last door and as soon as the door was open I was squeling.  
  
There was a humongous pool, complete with a few slides and diving boards, surrounded by what I think are imitation plants. The water looked really really good right now, I though, tugging at my shirt collar. The clock on the wall said I had about a half an hour before I was to meet Trunks. I'm sure I could make it on time...  
  
My clothes are off me in the blink of an eye and the water makes contact with my skin soon after. This feels SO good. I'm starting to think it won't be that bad living here...  
  
********************  
  
After doing a few laps and laying out on the pool floatie, I roll over to see what time it is.   
  
"OH SHIT!!!!!!!" I was five minutes late. I got out of the pool and grabbed my clothes as I ran down the hallway. I slowed every few steps, pulling on various articles of clothing while trying to remember where the dining room was.  
  
"Was it this way?" I asked the empty hallway while pulling on my socks. "No, that was the bathroom, THERE! That's it." Pausing to catch my breath, I adjusted my tie before opening the door.   
  
Just like every other room in the house, it was HUGE. The table was about thirty feet long and there, sitting at the end of the table, was Trunks. He grinned at me, before gesturing to the seat closest to me, as far from him as possible. Jeez, a guy can take a hint.  
  
"You can sit there if you'd like." Seeing all the food on display, I raised an eyebrow. There didn't seem to be much of a choice.   
I took a step forward and it seems that the following made me realize I'd gotten water on the bottom of my shoes. I fell foward, my slightly damp silk shirt sending me sliding all twenty two feet of the table down to his side. I looked up at him and frowned. I like making entrances, but this is ridiculous.  
  
He extended a hand but I brushed it off. My pride wouldn't allow it. The last thing I need after a stunt like that was-  
  
"OW!" That.   
  
I let out an angry breath before standing. Seating myself in the chair kiddy corner from his, I glared at the wall. He cleared his throat before pulling a rope and turning to me.  
  
"Or, you could sit here." He smirks but I don't respond. The plate of food is moved down and I eat it, not even looking in his general direction. The silence permeates the room until we're both finished.   
  
"Why?" He looks at me, his blue eyes clear.  
  
"Why what? I roll my eyes. Isn't it obvious.  
  
"Why did you ask me to marry you?"  
  
********************  
  
There it is! I'm sorry if it's lacking in humor, but I'll try to make up for it in the next chapter. This one's longer then my normal ones. Well, please review so I can make sure that I should continue! Thanks! 


	5. The Answer May Be More Than You Wanted T...

Here it is! I've updated! YAY! Well, I'm sure most of your reactions are groans of boredom if your reading this, but whatever! This chapter has some humor, but a more serious tone to it. I hope I don't disappoint!   
  
Disclaimer: Do I own, or do I not own? That is the lawyers question. No, is my answer.  
  
**************  
  
I gulped, wondering just how wrong it was to ask him that question. I can see his muscles stiffen, and his gaze become cold ice in the direction of the wall. Alright, I couldn't see his muscles stiffen because of his shirt, but the fork nearly breaking in half in his hand kinda gave it away.  
  
Shifting, a small smile crosses my features as I go to grab his hand. My mind is working on it's own, recalling a lesson taught in the employee training program they made a pre-requisite for where I work.   
  
'How To Calm a Potentially Dangerous Operator,' was what it was called. I couldn't see the point of it, to be honest. I mean, what're they gonna do? Poke you in the eye with a cord?  
  
The moment our skin made contact, he flinched and I pulled away, suddenly fearful as images of him wielding a telephone enter my mind.   
  
"Sorry," he finally mutters at last. His face relaxes and bends down to stare at the top half of his now broken fork.  
  
"I'm just not used to talking about it.." My eyebrow raised as his words caught my interest. Well, not so much the words, but the tone of voice he'd said it in. He sounds so..depressed and sad. So...lost.  
  
My gaze softened and I took and held his hand.   
  
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I'll understand." His lightened blue eyes look up at me and yet again, I'm struck with the slight pain in his eyes. Man, if he doesn't tell me I'll die from the angst of all of this!  
  
"It's okay, you have a right to know. It's obviously affecting you." He gestured to my left hand and noticing the ring, I nodded.  
  
He siged before continuing.  
  
"First, can I ask you a question?" My eyes widened for a moment before I nodded.  
  
"Go ahead."   
  
"Okay.." He seemed to be mentally prepping himself...I leaned forward but snapped back as he opened his eyes to me again.  
  
"Have you ever been in love? Really been in love with someone?"   
  
That was unexpected, to say the least. What was he getting at here? He couldn't possibly love me. I mean, we've seen eachother a total of about four times. Shaking my head, my mouth opens to reply.  
  
"I was once.." There's a reminiscent undertone to my voice, and it softens as my eyes lower.  
  
"He was an amazing guy..Jake, that was his name. We were best friends in high school. I'd known I was gay by then of course, so I wasn't exactly 'mind-boggled' when I realized I was becoming attracted to him. I didn't tell anyone of course. Not anyone to tell truth be told. I had a lot of aquantiences, but no one that I could tell something this personal." He nods and I take anothe breath before I continue.  
  
"Well, I just continue to think about him from our sophmore year in high school to our junior year of college when I finally get the guts to tell him. I'd of course, prepared for the worst. Imagine my surprise when he kissed me and said he felt the same way..." I sighed, remember the small moment in time with a wry smile.  
  
"Anyway, we stayed together for about a year and a half when we began to argue. He was such a great guy, total hopeless romantic, that's for damn sure. But in the end, I guess I wasn't the damsel in distress he'd been looking for." My body tensed as I spat out her name.  
  
"Georgia. She was. I was emotionally shattered and after kicking him out, I cursed him to hell 24/7 for a week. But, I became coherant once again and met up with him for coffee, where we both agreed it was a companiable love, not a romantic one. And In the end, we're both for the better. He's got a child now, and I'm...well, I'm here." The silence fell over the room once again, until his voice cut through it.  
  
"Wow. That's really what happened?" My eyebrow raised.  
  
"No. Actually he was castrated and in his shame commited suicide." The look on his face was so classic I laughed. After his confusion fell away, he joined in.   
  
"I'm *kidding*!! Of course that's really what happened." As the ringing of his laughter subsided, we just stared at eachother, a companionable silence that I hoped wouldn't be broken soon.  
  
It was...odd. This whole situtation was so...unreal. The friendliness that had leaked into this room signified two best friends reliving old memories. But that wasn't what this was. I frowned and looked away. This was an explanation between man and...another man.  
  
His eyes voice concern at my cringe.  
  
"Are you okay?" God, even his VOICE is concerned! I put on a fake smile and turn to him. Can't let him get too attatched. Two months was all this was for. Only two months..  
  
"I'm fine. But if my memory serves me as well as it did a few minutes ago, you still had something you needed to tell me."   
  
...DAMN THIS STUPID SILENCE!!!!!   
  
"Uh, Trunks?" He blinks and nods one more time.  
  
"Sorry bout that. I'm trying to think of where to begin."  
  
"How about the beginning?" The edges of his lips curve up and I'm glad that at least some of the depressed tone was lifted.  
  
"Well, it started in highschool. You see, I didn't have the luck that you seem to have had back then. I had no real friends. Just a bunch of aquantinces that I'd met through parties and class. I was the typical high school asshole. Lots of people were attracted to me, and they tried their best to make it obvious but I was still oblivious.  
  
"Then, one day after this summer party I'd thrown at my mother's cabin up north, this guy came up to me. Adam, was his name. I'd talked to him a few times. Kinda short and scrawny, but with a good head on his shoulders. I'd seen him at all of my parties, but he'd never drink anything. He'd just sit somewhere in the corner of the room, watching everything happen as though he didn't deserve the fun..  
He could always make me look at him more than once though, something that didn't happen with anyone else I'd ever met."  
  
He sighed.   
  
"Anyway, he asked if he could talk to me. I had been alone in my room at the time, whoever the girl was had already left. We walked down to this dock and when we sat on the dock I just turned to him and said, 'Okay, what did you want?'   
  
"The fear that had suddenly entered his eyes surprised me, but not as much as what he did next. He..." A small blush set across his cheeks and my mouth dropped.  
  
"What happened?! Did he stick his hand in your pants or something?!" His eyes double in size as he sputters out "NO!"   
  
"Sorry, but I just didn't take you as the kind of guy who'd blush over something small, like a kiss, I'm assuming?" He nodded.  
  
"Well, the old me wouldn't. The one before.." 'Yes...' I prod with my mind.   
  
"I gotta stop getting ahead of myself. Well, yes, he did kiss me and I of course thought I was this big stud man so I pushed him and started cursing at him. I hated to do it, he'd always been a nice guy to talk to and everything, but I hated him for making me enjoy what I thought I was never supposed to enjoy." My head moves up and down in aggreement. I could understand what he meant.   
  
"Then, he just yells 'I love you' at the top of his lungs and I just stopped." He gestured with his hands to demonstrate.  
  
"I just froze. Then he began to talk about all these things, how he didn't care if I'd hate him now, or if I beat him up, or if I felt the sameway. He just said that he thought I should know. At the time of course, I was still a stupid frightened teen and I said the first thing that came to my mind."   
  
Uh-oh. He fucked it up didn't he?  
  
"I told him 'to keep his gay-ass away from me before I ripped him a new butthole."   
  
I couldn't help it. A burst of laughter shot from my mouth.  
  
"I'm sorry..." My body doubled over to support the violence of the laugh.  
  
"I'm sorry, but that was pretty lame."  
  
"Hey! I was like seventeen years old, alright! What big high school stud has ever had good comebacks?!"   
  
Hm....he had a point.  
  
"Okay, continue."  
  
"Then, he pretty much turned away and ran off and I fell into the lake in a drunken stupor. I didn't drown or anything, which is pretty obvious. But I did wake up.  
  
"I got up out of the lake and walked to the house and after I'd gotten everyone to leave, I just laid on the bed to stare at the ceiling. I couldn't believe what I'd done. Sure, I hadn't been the closest to that guy, but that feeling I'd gotten when he'd kissed me was worth going after. So, I drove over to his house and when I got there..There was an ambulance in front of it."   
  
"Oh my god.." A million different reasons for there to be an ambulance in front of that house flash before my eyes and none of them are very good.  
  
"And when I came to the front door, the meds were just wheeling out the stretcher. I talked to his mom later and she said she'd come home from work to see him laying on the kitchen floor with a knife in his hands.. and blood pouring from his wrists."   
  
Dear god...That's so horrible! My hand seeks out his once again and he looks to me, tears threatening to pour from his eyes.  
  
"And I knew it right then. He'd done it because of me. Because I was too stupid to think outside my own little world and my fear of accepting myself.." I get out of my chair and kneel in front of him as a tear runs out the side of his eye. I try to summon up a comforting smile and hug him as though I could squeeze away every inch of sadness permeating his mind.  
  
"I changed a lot after that happened," he whispers.   
  
"I could imagine."  
  
"Ever since that day, I vowed that anytime I thought there was a possible forever with someone, I wouldn't botch it up. I'd do everthing I could to make it work. So, that's what I've been doing for the past nine years. Searching. And now, it's finally paid off."   
  
My body stiffens as I pull back and time seems to stop.   
  
"What....did you say?" His eyes bore into mine with earnesty and his hands cup my face.  
  
"I said it's finally paid off. Goten, your the first person I've ever looked at twice. The only one that ever kept my attention for more than a moment and if that isn't a sign, I don't know what is."  
  
I'd try to reply, but I know it's useless. There's no way in hell I'd be able to come up with a good response to that. No Way IN HELL!  
  
"I'm sorry if that comes as a shock.."  
  
Well that's the biggest fucking understatemnent of the year.  
  
"And I'll....I'll understand if you want to leave, but just, stay the night and think it over. Your stuffs here anyway. Tommorow morning, you can tell me what you think and just say the word, and you'll be home sweet home before you can blink."   
  
His leps meet mine, just a whisper of a kiss before he stands and walks out the door. I, of course, had been putting most of my weight on him and fell forward to the floor.   
  
"Of course, that'll be just as easy as pie.." I mutter.  
  
**************  
  
"Grr...." I roll over on my bad and frown. Why is it that this bed is the most comfortable one I've had the privelage to sleep on and yet I can't fall asleep? Oh, yeah, I forgot.   
  
I'M DECIDING THE FATE OF THE WORLD!!!   
  
That's an exageration.   
  
I'M DECIDING THE FATE OF MY RELATIONSHIP WORLD!!!   
  
That's better.   
  
My feet slide off the bed and into the small pair of slippers. Fumbling my way through the large room to the door. There wasn't much light in the hallway, but it was enough for me to navigate myself to the main stair well to the second floor where the snack kitchen was.  
  
I must've forgotten to mention this. I recieved a complimentary map after I went back to my room so I wouldn't get lost. Quite thoughtful if you ask me. It turns out we have four kitchens. One on each floor. The fourth floor kitchens are the ones for the chefs, the third floor for small meals, the second floor for do it yourself, and the first floor the guest kitchen.   
  
The refridgerator light blinds me for a second so I turn away, closing my eyes. When they open again, they find even more light and I whip around to see Bra sitting on the countertop, her hair messy from sleep and her pjs rumpled. An apple flies into the air every few seconds as she surveys me.  
  
"Couldn't sleep either huh?" I shake my head.  
  
"You could say that. I didn't know you were here though. I thought you were going home to break up with-"  
  
"I did. Things didn't go as smoothly as I expected." She sighed and brushed back a strand of hair. The light catches her skin, bring forth a bruise along her cheek.  
  
"Oh, wow. High class girl, eh?" I figured I'd play the ignorant fellow. It was probably best she didn't know I'd bet the girl anyway.  
  
"Yes, very. I just couldn't take the neediness and everything, you know? And she kept saying she loved me..I just couldn't say I felt the same."  
  
"I'm sorry." She grinned at me and tossed the apple. I caught it and she got on her feet.  
  
"Don't be. I'll be okay. If it can happen for my brother, it can happen for me, right? I'm sure I'll meet someone soon. The sun'll come out tommorow." She winked at me for a moment before walking out, a sway in her hips.   
  
Blinking, my body leaned against the countertop and I bit into the apple.   
  
What had that been about?  
  
**************  
  
A light breath tickles my face and I reach up towards it, coming in contact with fur. That didn't seem to correspond with the dream I was having...  
  
My right eye opened, soon followed with the other one as I see James face two inches from mine.  
  
"AH!!" I sit up quickly, sending the form of my cat off the bed and onto the floor.   
  
"Oops, sorry James." He flicks his tail at me and retreats to his own bed. My hand rubs away sleep as I look to the clock. 9:02 AM. Perfect timing. He should be up by now.   
  
My pajamas are tossed to the floor and within minutes, I'm dressed in one of my new outfits, a casual one of course. Making sure James didn't leave any surprises in the bags on the floor, I brush a hand through my hair and head to the morning room.  
  
The table is much smaller than the other one, though is hand carved with scenes from foreign wars and covered with a sheet of glass. It already seats the dressed and eating forms of the Briefs children, both adorned in suits and reading the newspaper.  
  
I cough into my hand and they both look up. Bra just give a smile and returns to her reading. Trunks, however, maintains eye contact as he puts down the paper to gesture to the seat beside him.  
  
"Good morning Goten. Would you like some pancakes? We've got other things too, if that's not what you'd like."   
  
"No, pancakes are fine." It's weird. He seems to be closed off now, like he's wearing a front or something. I wonder why..Is it because Bra was there?  
  
"Trunks," I begin as I take a bite of pancake.  
  
"Yes?"   
  
"There's something I need to tell you." He pauses in his chewing and looks in my eyes.   
  
"About what?"   
  
"About...about us." I see Bra's paper fall to the ground as Bra picks up more food and eyes us curiously.   
  
"What about us?"   
  
"I thought about what you said last night," I began, my gaze dropping to the food before me."   
  
"Oh.." His tone is weak, but becomes normal again quickly.  
  
"And what have you decided?"   
  
Okay Goten, you can say this. Just try not to look in there eyes, stuff food in your mouth and say it as fast as you can. Easy, quicky...painless.  
  
Unless you choke.  
  
Or trip.  
  
Or- Forget it..  
  
"Trunks, I..."  
  
**************  
BWAHAHAHA!!! I am TRULY EVIL!! I'm sorry, but I had to end it there. I wrote this in the span of about four hours total. I was surprised, because I hadn't been sure *when* I would work on the chapter. But, thanks to the prodding of a certain gay uncle, here you are! I'll see you next chapter! 


	6. SkyDiving With a Side of PanBra Hold the...

Hey everyone! I'm sorry for not updating sooner, but I've been involved in a lot of after school stuff, (As much as I can get into my fourteen year old mind) and haven't had the chance to write much! I personally don't think any of you will enjoy this humor, because my personal opinion is that it sucks. So, if you are brave of heart and open of mind!, Please read on.  
  
Disclamier: *cries* I DON'T OWN DBZ!  
  
**************  
  
I bit my tongue, not so sure I wanted to tell him anymore. It was too late for me back to down now though, and it was all my own fault. Damn, I hate it when I get myself in these situations... How I do it, I'll never know.   
  
"Well, you see Trunks, the thing is I..." His facade wears away a little and the smallest light of sadness dulling his eyes doesn't go un-noticed. That right there, ladies and gentleman, is manipulation at it's best.  
  
"Yes?" He asked, his voice not doing as well his face, descreet -wise. Oh, god, I swear, if I live through this day...  
  
"Iiii....See, the thing is, I can't make such a decision without a reliable basis. Since we have no real past together, I can't decide until you give me a few credible *reasons* for me to say." There, that came out pretty painless. I mean, it sounds knowledgable, right?  
  
Trunks coughed into his hand, and his eyes wandered around a few moments before he reached into his pocket to pull out his cell. Holding up a finger indicating for me to wait, the food beckoned and my body seated itself to eat it.  
  
A few moments later, he closed it and smiled as he turned.  
  
"Okay, Goten. Everythings set. You might wanna change though."  
  
I eyed him in a curious fashion, waiting for his reasoning. He didn't seem eager in explaining, so the fork was dropped as I stood.  
  
"And why, dare say, would I have to do that?"  
  
**************  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"  
  
It seemed, as I was to learn two hours later as our plane crusied over mile after mile of field, that he interpreted this as 'Risking our lives to make memories to tell our children.' This, if you still do not understand, can be translated into this.  
  
He  
  
Took  
  
Me  
  
Sky-Diving.  
  
That's right. It also seems, that my dear DEAR Trunks has conveniantly forgotten that I have a mind-bogglingly(AN- this may not be a word, but If *I* were in his situation, I would be making up words too!) LARGE FEAR of HEIGHTS! At about the age of four, my brother who was very interested in airplanes at the time, decided to build one and use his young, gullible brother as his test pilot.   
  
So, there I was, sitting in the cockpit with my goggles and helmet on about fourty feet off the ground when he tells me over the headpiece he'd given me, that he forgot to put some more gas in it. Therefor, the plane crashed.  
  
Now that I think about it, it kind explains why mom would've thought that me being gay was a mental defect...   
  
Back to the subject at hand. Sitting here in this plane, a pack strapped to my back that connects me to Trunks. I'm assuming he's done this before, since when my friend went sky-diving, the same thing happened. She was strapped to an instructor who worked the mechanics while she enjoyed the ride. Sounds like half the straight people's sex lives I've heard about.  
  
"Okay now Goten. We're almost near the drop point. Are you ready?"  
  
What kind of dumb ass question is that?  
  
"Uh, sure. But Trunks, this isn't what I meant-"  
  
"Great! C'mon now. Just walk like this.." After a few minutes, he did manage to get us over to the doors which is quite the feat considering our positions.   
  
A burst of cold air hit me as he slid open the door.   
  
"One..."   
  
This is wrong. This is VERY VERY WRONG! I don't wanna do this. My mother would have a heart attack if she knew. My brother would start naming off the statistics of how many people die a year doing this..AH! Don't think about that...  
  
"Two..."  
  
'Well, at least you won't die a virgin, right dude?' Greg? What are you doing here? 'I'm your guide, Goten.'   
  
WHAT?! Why am I going to-  
  
"Three!"   
  
"CRAPPPPPPPPPPP!" My instincts kick in and just as I was about to fall out of the plane backwards, my hands grabbed the sides of the door and we stopped moving.  
  
"Goten, what are you doing?!"   
  
"I'm sorry Trunks, but I can't do this. It's insane!" I'm struck with the thought of how ironic this whole situation is, and that I would only call this specific point in time, *insane* Hm..Go figure.  
  
"I'm preventing us from plunging to our DOOMS obviously."  
  
"We are NOT going to DIE, Goten. This is all the newest and best of everything we need. The chances of us even breaking a leg are down to none. Now just ease your hands of the plane.."  
  
"Why should I trust you?!" I shouted out, the words coming out of nowhere.  
  
"WHAT?!" His voice is full of incredulous, and a small part of me is offended.  
  
"Yeah, why should I trust you? I mean, we've known eachother for a grand total of three days now. There's no way for me to know that you didn't rig this parachute to not work and kill me!"  
  
"Goten, if this thing doesn't work, I would die too."  
  
Oh yeah. Forgot about that.  
  
"Oh."   
  
"OH MY GOD GOTEN! LET GO I'M GONNA FALL!!!"   
  
"What do you mean, 'I'm gonna fall!'?"  
  
"I'm slippping out of the harness and am about to fall to my death!!"  
  
"Oh.....OH!" The words finally compute, so my fingers loosen and we fall. The first few seconds are filled with the sound of wind howling past my ears, but are soon replaced with his laughter.  
  
"What is so funny?"  
  
"You...You fell for it!!" What the hell is he talking about now? He's not drunk... maybe it's something in the air?  
  
"You believed that I was gonna FALL?! After I'd just told you how safe it was..." He shoke his head and I kicked his leg.  
  
"You bastard! I HATTt....you..." As I was beginning my berating, Trunks and flipped us around and my breath was whisked away as the view of endless country fields full of life filled my vision.  
  
"Wow..." Was the only word I could muster. The peace filled the area around us for awhile before his movements rocked our bodies.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm trying to open our parachute so we can land safely."  
  
"Oh." My somewhat tense muscles relaxed and my eyes continued to roam the scene.  
  
"What do you have to do for that? Any special series of ropes to pull or something complicated like that?" He shook his head.  
  
"Nope. I'm trying to figure out how to do it now..."  
  
"What?" I couldn't have heard him correctly. "Why would you need to do that? It's not like you've never done this before, right?"   
  
"Of course I haven't. I'm a business man. I don't have time to sky-dive on a regular basis."   
  
"SO YOU BROUGHT US UP HERE NOT KNOWING WHAT THE HELL YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DO?!"  
  
"Yeah, basically. It can't be that hard though, right?"   
  
The uselessness of answering was obvious so I remained silent. If I was going to die, it'd be thinking of my life, not conversing with him.  
  
Him, the stupid stupid ass, that he is. Him the cute stupid stupid ass that he is. I smiled.   
  
Things were beginning to improve.  
  
**************  
  
Bra sighed and tilted back her head, the endless drone of the television sounding clearly in the thrity foot room. She sat on the couch of her room. A headache had creeped it's way to her head as she'd just spent the past twenty minutes getting her ear yelled off by her ex. This was not her weekend. That was supposed to end in a few minutes though...  
  
In fact, it should be ending right about now..  
  
*DING Dong*  
  
Now.  
  
She stood and adjusted the vest of her suit before walking down the stairs to open the door.   
  
"Yes? And how may I help you?"  
  
Pan's eyes looked at her, eyes widening for a moment before returning to normal.  
  
"Um, yes, I'm Son Pan..Goten's niece. I was told that I could find my uncle here." Bra smiled and opened the door.  
  
"Ah yes. I heard your message. He's not here right now, but I'd be happy to show you around until he gets back." Pan looked around the expansive hallway before her and shrugged.  
  
"What the hell?"   
  
**************  
  
"What?"  
  
I'm deciding not to answer, just sitting across from him and glaring is plenty enough for me. The small line under his left eye, the bag under his right, the little scar right by his adam's apple..ALL were under my surveilance and to my undescribable glee, it was all bothering him.  
  
"What?!"  
  
His eyes turn a shade darker of blue when he's irritated, I see. I wouldn't know if my eyes become lighter or darker. They're dark brown, don't know if that change or not...  
  
"Goten..." His eyes narrow but my lips just smirk at him. Let him do his worst.   
  
"You can't glare at me forever..."  
  
"Try me."   
  
He sighed and leaned back in his chair. I do likewise, proud that he's finally realized you can't mess with a Son.   
  
"I'm sorry, okay? But it was the only thing that would let you let go!" My eyebrow raises. That was the best he could think of? I have been seriously over-crediting him.  
  
"Fine. But sky-diving? Why that?" His frown softens his eyes and he leans forward, taking my hand is his. I resist the urge to take it away.   
  
"Goten, If I'd had any idea that you were afraid of heights, or that it would've bothered you that much, I never would have taken you. You know that I would never purposely do anything to frighten or harm you...right?"   
  
Oh GODDDDDDDDDdddd....This isn't FAIR! My resolve breaks and I muster a small smile.  
  
"I guess. I mean, where would you be without me, right?"   
  
"Single and bored. You?"  
  
"About the same." We laughed in sync and he reached into the limo's fridge, pulling out a bottle of wine. His change of eye contact made me thankful. He couldn't see the apparent brush of red on my face.   
  
What was it abou this guy, I wondered as he filled up our glasses and handed me my own. Why couldn't I be mad at him for disrupting my life and moving my stuff when anyone in their right mind would?  
  
When some part of me knows I should?   
  
"To us?" He proposes, raising his glass. The life sparkling his blue eyes blinds me to any other thoughts and my glass raises to his.  
  
"To us."  
  
**************  
  
Pan fell onto the countertop, her black hair covering her face.  
  
"Dear GOD how do you people survive this place?! All those floors..and all those rooms...So long.."   
  
Bra half smiled, half smirked at the younger girl before turning to the cabinets.  
  
"Could I interest you in food? I'm sure you've exerted a lot of energy in the exhausting tour you've just undergone." Pan looked up at the girl, contempt showing on her face. 'Who the hell does she think she is?' she wondered to herself, nodding curtly. 'Nobody treats me like a little un-fit kid.'  
  
"I'm surprised you could walk up the stairs in those heels and those implants," Pan muttered while with one fluent motion, she stood and pulled an orange from the basket atop the fridge. Bra turned to her, appearing unfazed by comment.  
  
"Women of my *class*," she began to reply, forcing emphasis on the word. "Don't need implants and the shoes only show my inner sense of stamina. What excuse do you have?"   
  
Pan gaped and scowled at the girl. She was really grinding her nerves. The other woman laughed and took a sip of her water.   
  
"What's your problem?" She asked after taking a bite of her orange. "Some guy ram ya the wrong way?"   
  
The pained expression that finally crossed the blue haired woman's face struck Pan with guilt.  
  
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have opened up my mouth.."   
  
"No, that's fine," Bra replied, appearing to have brushed the comment off.  
  
"You were wrong, by the way. A man didn't ram me the wrong way."   
  
Confusion was written on Pan's face as she watched Bra approach. The distance between them sparse and Pan felt her face redden.  
  
"Re...Really? Then...what happened?" Bra looked down into the other girls face before smiling.  
  
"A woman did." Pan's eyes only had a few seconds to widen before her mouth was silenced by Bra's lips. The last intelligent words to run through her mind were simple.  
  
'Holy Shit.'  
  
**************  
  
The atmosphere between the two of us had lightened, whether it was the pointless conversation or the two glasses of wine, I couldn't tell you.   
  
We exited the limo and thanked the driver. It was only when we'd turned around that my eyes found a sight to make me sober immediately. Trunks bumped into me and began to yell out and before I could stop him, he did, catching the attention of the last person I'd thought I'd ever see.  
  
"Goten? Is that you?" My grasp on his Trunks shirt tightened and looked him in the eyes.  
  
"Thanks."   
  
"What'd I do?" I turned away from him before muttering.   
  
"Enough." Okay, here goes nothing Goten. Now, it won't be so bad, just keep cool, keep calm, and treat her like the person she is. The worst thing that could happen is she dis-owns you. Wait. Knowing her, that's probably the LEAST harmful thing that'll happen to me today.  
  
"Hi Mom!"  
  
**************  
  
Hm...Chichi has arrived on the scene. Lord knows what this phychiatist-happy mama is gonna do next! I'm very sorry if this chapter wasn't worth it at all. I've been getting MAJOR WRITER'S BLOCK for this fic, but when I saw it'd been a whole month since I'd updated, I worked my but off and produced this. I ask you to please review if you have the time, so I know that you all haven't been so hurt by the crappiness of this chapter that you will never read it again. Well, if this is the last chapter you'll read, JA! 


	7. The Pretzels of Irony

Hello! First of all, I must apologize to Sly. I know I said I wasn't gonna write another chapter for anything till yo updated, but inspiration has it's own way, and well, here's the next chapter! Hope you all enjoy and thank you for your support! I couldn't have made it this far without it!  
  
Disclaimer: I own DBZ ^-^   
  
Trunks: *coughs into hand and hands Jack a piece of paper*  
  
Jack: WHAT?! What do you mean I DON'T OWN DBZ?!   
  
**************  
  
I stared.   
  
Then, I stared some more.  
  
Then, Trunks coughed and looked at his watch. The tension, I was sure, was running off in waves and though he struck me as a slightly thick guy, not even *he* could miss this.  
  
"Well, Goten, I think I'm gonna go. It's only about two o' clock, and my mom wouldn't like it if I skipped out of work..."  
  
WHAT?! He was going to LEAVE ME WITH HER?!   
  
I grinned at him before swallowing. My eyes glared, the words apparent. 'You will die. You will die many MANY TIMES!'  
  
"That's fine Trunks. I'll see you later," I tilted my head, giving the bullshit the full shit affect. "Okay?"  
  
The light in his eye proves he has headed my warning. My lips curl evilly.   
  
"Goten!" The sound of my mother's voice makes me want to curl in upon myself, but the urge is resisted, and my body faces her.  
  
"Hi....mom!" Another fake grin slaps itself upon my face and I embrace her. She pulls away almost a second later, her eyes narrowing as it inspects my appearance. She frowns.  
  
"Since when could you afford Banana Republic?"  
  
Hm....It seems not talking to my mother for several months has affected her view of my financial situation. Sure, I wasn't the richest person in the world, but that didn't make me non-Banana Republic poor. I had something from there! Soap! That counts...doesn't it?  
  
Oh, wait. I forgot... GOHAN, yes, 'My dear precious brother' is a regular customer there. And *he* is the one who bought me that soap.   
  
WHY CAN'T I EVER WIN?!  
  
"Goten, do not make your mother waste time waiting for you reply." Mother can FUCK OFF!   
  
My smile never fades as I extend a hand.  
  
"I'm sorry mom. Would you like a tour inside?" Her eyes flick over to the large house to her right and she gives a small smile.  
  
"That would be nice, Goten." Well, things are looking a little bit better. We wave as the limo drives off, taking my purple haired fiance and only strand of sanity with it.  
  
How that man became the link to my sanity I don't know, and if god be willing, I will never find out. We spend the next five minutes standing on the front lawn as my mother praises the garden's and shrubbery surrounding the house. She knows almost all of their names.   
  
Does this not tell you what a boring life she'd led after my brother left home?  
  
My mind wanders, thinking about how frumpy a woman she's become in her old age. Was she always this.....wrinkly? Her hair was still in it's same position as always, a graying mass of bun piled atop her head. But her usually emotional, make that usually ANGRY face, was carved with lines showing the stress she'd faced in her life.  
  
I don't think I was THAT bad... Okay, that's a lie. Let us recall a moment when I was twelve...  
  
***  
  
My best friend Julia had just introduced me to the wonders of the Disney movie, Peter Pan. The moment my choclate eyes took in the site of the red-haired, spandex-wearing flying wonder, I was in love. As soon as I ran through the front door of our modest two floor home, I sought out my mom.  
  
"MOMMY MOMMY MOMMY!!!!" She'd turned to me, spoon in hand and black hair in her eyes.  
  
"What, Goten?"  
  
"I'm in love!!!" Her eyes had softened for a moment as most parents do when they find out their children are experiancing their first crush.  
  
"Aww...isn't that cute!" She seemed to be proud of me for the first time in her life. "And who are you in love with?" At that moment, I puffed out my chest, smiled as large as I could, and closed my eyes.  
  
"Peter Pan!" *thump* One of my eyes cracked open and my mother was laying in front of me, her face peaceful and her breathing steady.  
  
She'd fainted.  
  
Who'da guessed?  
  
***  
  
Back to the present...  
  
"Mom, what do you say we get a drink? I'm sure the drive from Ibew was long." Her steps pause and she looks at me funny.  
  
"The ride is only twenty minutes, Goten. I'm not *that* old." I frown as she makes her way to the door. I had to open my mouth didn't I?  
  
As we enter the house, she gasps and the pride that swells in my chest is invigorating. My house, well, Trunks and I's house had made my mom gasp. Maybe I wasn't out of the game after all...  
  
"It's so big!" Chichi exclaimed. My smile changes to a smirk. I've heard that line before. The situation was a tad more enjoyable then this one though.   
  
"Yep. Trunks likes things big..." Chichi nodded and took off her flowered jacket.  
  
"Then why's he with you?" My mouth drops open. OUCH! That one hurt!! A LOT!!! I cough into my hand and pretend not to hear that.   
  
"Anyway, let me show you to the kitchen." I walk ahead of her, not caring if I left her in the dust. She shouldn't waste my time admiring all of the art on the walls. At least thinks can't get any worse...  
  
"Holy shit!" The scene before me makes my eyes explode from my head. Pan and Bra were making out RIGHT IN THE KITCHEN! AND MY MOM WAS RIGHT-!  
  
"Goten? What's wrong?" She tried to push me aside, but I was younger and faster than her and used this fact to my advantage, slamming the door shut to block her entrance.  
  
"Nothing at all. How would you like to go out to eat instead?" Chichi's dark eyes become fierce, giving me the 'I'm your mother tell me now!' look. Lucky for me, I learned at an early age how to resist giving in.  
  
Look away!  
  
My mother had always been quick to catch on to things, so I wasn't surprised when she sighed and gave in.  
  
"Okay."   
  
"Great! Let me lead you to the guest room while I call Julia."   
  
"Julia? Your still talking to her?! That's wonderful! I always loved that girl."  
  
Didn't I know it. Chichi would ALWAYS play dress up with Julia but if *I* asked?! NOoooooo! Cuz I'm a GUY!! Well, phooey! on her.  
  
**************  
  
Hm...there's a lot you can learn from a pretzel. It's very symbolic. I'm serious! The little twists and turns forming this big, sad face with acne. Represents plenty of things if you ask me. Like, this little curve could be Trunks...And this one could be my mom... and that one's...Pan. Stick them together and you get me. Of course, nowadays, acne is the least of my problems.  
  
"So, Mrs. Son, what do you think of Goten's engagement.  
  
"What do you mean, Julia?" Our reations were in sync as the cups in our hands landed on the table, our eyes opened to unhealthy levels.   
  
"Uh, mom, you mean you *don't* know I'm engaged?" The older woman shook her head and my jaw dropped.   
  
How the hell could she not know?! I thought this was supposed to be the biggest thing since...the last big thing! That's all I can come up with right now, sadly. I was never one to keep up with the local news.   
  
I could be wrong. I suppose the fact that I'd been chased by a crazed mob because of it had led me to assume it was big news. The fact that she hasn't figured it out is a little shocking, though. I mean, there is a rock the size of Montana on my finger. Is she going blind, or what?  
  
"No, of course how would I, huh? You haven't spoken to your dear mother in almost a year-"  
  
"Seven months, ma. Seven months."  
  
"That's worse!"   
  
Huh?  
  
"Your brother would NEVER go that long without speaking to me..." I frowned, seeing her logic. Puh, momma's boy. My frown deepened. I'd always wondered what it would be like to be a momma's boy...Must be nice.  
  
"I'm sorry mom. I've just been a little busy.." She pauses in her fake crying and looks at me.  
  
"With what? Answering telephones?!" Her cries continue and I flinch back into my seat. Why did I even bother with my mother? It was like talking to a brick wall, sometimes.  
  
Julia didn't seem to be very fazed by the whole situation. She moved her seat closer to my mom's and hugged her around the shoulders.  
  
"It's okay, Mrs. Son."  
  
"But what did I do WRONG?!" The wince on my face is noticeable, but no one's paying attention.   
  
"You didn't do anything. Goten's life's just been a little hectic lately..." My mouth clamps shut. The string of words that had come to mind would not be very appropriate in this situation. Not unless I wanted her to have a heart attack.  
  
"Yes, I suppose it is his fault isn't it?" She gave her a small smile before turning back to me.   
  
"So, what's her name?"   
  
HER?! Excuse me, while my eyes shoot across the room.  
  
Julia felt the same way, from the looks of it.  
  
"Excuse, Mrs. Son, but girl?" Chichi's eyes narrowed.  
  
"Of course a girl. What are you trying to insinuate, Julia?" This is familiar. My mom had loved the girl next door to pieces, but she could bite off your finger if you weren't careful. Ladies and Gentleman, meet my mom.  
  
"Mom," I begin, deciding to spare Julia the horrible fat to come. "I'm gay. You've known that since I was, what? Thirteen years old?" Something flashes in her eyes, but it's gone in an instant.  
  
"I know, but that was a phase...wasn't it?" The hope in her voice crumbles the cold front I'd put up for this visit. It's a horrible thing, coming out to your mom. It was hard enough when I was 13. Now I have to do it all over again?  
  
"No, ma. It wasn't, and I think we both know it." The sigh that escape my lips adds drama to the moment. For some reason, the thought that my life could contain serious moments after that night a few days ago. Of course, there was that time last night...   
  
Wrinkles are almost a guarentee at the rate of my frowns today. If I do end up staying with Trunks though, he'll be able to afford re-constructive surgery for me. This engagement is proving more and more useful.  
  
Her face is solemn as it looks into my eyes. I realize for the first time just how much my mother could care. The biggest surprise, was that the feelings seemed to be directed at me. Now, my biggest fear was that she'd have a screaming fit of denial... That would be bad.  
  
She smiles and I flinch. Whoops. Jumpy? Me?  
  
"I'm sorry, Goten." I'm beginning to question my own hearing.  
  
"What?" She thinks for a moment and rubs a hand along the back of her neck before meeting my eyes once again.   
  
"I'm sorry about not being...supportive of you..." She struggles for words. "...lifestyle. And I'm willing to be there for you. If you need me, of course." My eyes feel moist as I bite my lip and reach across the table, hugging my mother for the first time in years.  
  
"Thanks mom. Thanks."  
  
"But don't get any crazy ideas, now. Don't go sticking neon signs on your forehead that say 'I'm Gay' or something like that."  
  
I raised an eyebrow and smiled. It could've been worse.  
  
**************  
  
"Sounds like you've had an interesting day, Goten."   
  
"How observative, you are Trunks." He looks up at me, but I just smile sweetly. Sarcasm was always one of my better qualities.  
  
His blue eyes are rolled, laughter shining through them. He'd been a little tense when he'd come home earlier, why I had yet to find out. With one clean swallow, my second glass of wine was finished. I murmured in satisfaction and sat watched Trunks as he finsihed his meal.   
  
He was a handsome man, that was for sure. If they'd met under different circumstances, Goten would have thought him out of his league. But now... Well, now he wasn't.  
  
Trunks must have felt my eyes on him, because he looked up, a small piece of alfredo sticking out the side of his mouth. The look was precious and I smiled, leaning forward across the small coffee table between us. His eyes widened, but that didn't slow my path.   
  
Whether it was the wine or my insanity I couldn't tell, but whatever it was, I was listening to it. My face grew serious as it paused, a breath away from his face. Making the barest of contacts with his skin, I steal the noodle and eat it.   
  
This must not have been what he'd meant to happen, and he wasn't going to go disappointed. His hand reached up, directing my chin with a ghost of a touch to have me face him, my lips a breath away from his.  
  
And then it happened. His hesitation lingered for a moment as our lips met, but realizing that I wasn't going to castrate him for the move, he applied more pressure, coaxing me into giving him some other sign than nutrality. Who was I to say no?  
  
My lips parted and I watched in fascination as his eyes slid shut, his mouth connecting with mine in one of the most intimate ways two people can. The browns of my eyes disappear as they slide closed, savoring the moment as though it were the last.   
  
I'd always been a sucker for kisses. But it was sure as hell a good thing to be a sucker for.  
  
A noise emanates from the back of my throat and I pull away little, surprised by the sound. Don't remember that happening before. The red splashed along my cheeks, warming my face. He just smiled. I joined him again before my arms slid around his shoulders and brought our lips together once more.   
  
Double the pleasure, double the fun and all that good stuff eh?   
  
The shrill sounds of a telephone interuppt us in our new postion, both on our knees on either side of the table, lips locked and arms holding tight. Neither of us breaks the embrace, not finding it necessary.   
  
The answering machine picks up a few moments later, just as I begin to wonder about what I was doing with him...  
  
"Hello, and thank you for calling the home of Trunks Briefs and Goten Son. I'm sorry we're not here right now.." AWWW!! I smile into the kiss as the message goes on. He even put our names together on the answering machine...  
  
*BEEP*  
  
"Yeah, er, hey, Goten. It's me, Jake. I just found out about your, er, engagement. Give me a call if you can, k?" He gave the number, the melancholy in his voice still apparent.   
  
"Bye."  
  
Shit.  
  
This was not good.  
  
**************  
  
Well, I must say, I do like this chapter a little bit. Peter Pan was my favorite Disney movie growing up, so I thought it was a cute little thing. I know it's kind of a cliffhangar, but I don't suppose it's as bad as the last one.. ^.^' Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Please, let me know what you though, okay? 


	8. A Soapy Dinner Engagement

Hello everyone! It's been quite awhile I know.. I've been having Les Miserables practice everyday, including weekends, so not only have I not been able to see my girlfriend, but I also haven't been to write! *cries* Then I looked and saw that I hadn't updated this fic for over two months and so I sat down, and here it is! I'm not sure how I feel about it. It's longer than my usual chapters, nine pages @_@ My birthday is coming up soon! November 29 Whoo hoo!! I turn fifteen, so I'm excited ^-^ Hope all of your weekend was good and enjoy the chapter!  
  
Disclaimer; *yawns* Cheese..lots of cheese. Oh wait, YOUR NOT MY MOM! GO AWAY! I DON'T OWN DIDDLY!  
  
**************  
  
"...Goten?" I shift, my legs still around his waist from behind, the soap still in my hand. Damn...that sounds kinky.  
  
"Hmm?" My eyes are closed and he turns to look at me over his shoulder.   
  
"I was thinking..."  
  
"I thought that was a requirement in your field." He narrows his eyes, but being in this warm pool-esque bathtub, I dont' care. My head moves to rest on his shoulder, a smile on my lips.  
  
"Are you going to tell me or pout like a baby?" He scoffs and tries to turn, but my legs restrain him.  
  
"I'm not a baby." Shaking my head, I lean back against the tub walls and sigh.  
  
"Ah, yes you are, but your *my* baby." He rolls his eyes as expected, but his demeanor's improved which is a very good thing. Last thing I need is a wet blanket in the tub.  
  
"What do you think of this? I mean...us in general. It's only been, what, a week?"   
  
"Six days."   
  
"Wow.." I nod, washing his hair. Mm... smells like Trunks. My eyes flick to the shampoo bottle. Which, for those of you not here right now smells like...er, Purple Sheen Deluxe?! When the hell did they come up with that? Oh wait...He's filthy rich. They probably make him his own shampoo. That's good though. If there were more than one person walking around smelling this good, I'd die of lust by asphyxiation. (AN; I am too lazy to see if I spelt that right XP)   
  
"Well, I think it's a good thing. Neither of us are dead... We were *close*.." I give his head a gentle but firm poke, reminding him of the sky-diving episode. "But, I'm happy right now. Are you?"  
  
"Very much so. It's just..." He sinks down in my hold and kinda fiddles with his hands. Very cute and very unlike him to be nervous. Is he gonna break up with me?! I hope not...  
  
"I wanted to know if you wanted to set a date. For the wedding, I mean." My eyes widen a fraction. In the escapades of ours these past few days the idea had never hit me.   
  
Things have been going wonderfully. Everyday for the past five days, Trunks had spent almost all his freetime and thensome with me. We've met for lunch at different resturants around town, gone shopping, seen movies...Things that most normal couples would. I've gotten to know him much better and feel like he may really be an okay kinda guy.  
  
I'd almost forgotten that we were engaged at all. A glance at my left hand tells me otherwise. I agree, it is odd considering I have a huge ass diamond on my hand, so let me re-phrase. I'd almost forgotten the circumstances underwhich we were engaged. Hm... that's good enough.   
  
When do I wanna get married? Do I wanna marry him at all? Well, I've always wanted to get married. Odd goal for a strapping young man like myself to have, but, I'm gay so it doesn't count. As for whether or not I want to marry him...  
  
I put my hands on his shoulders and nudge him forward to give me space. Once I'm allowed, I swim towards the deeper end and turn, staring into his eyes before I fall beneath the waters surface, the warm water brushing my skin.  
  
My body sinks to the bottom and I sit there cross-legged waiting for him to come down. He's still sitting on the little bench thingy. He has no idea what's going on. Well, he better damn well hurry because the water is getting to my eyes.   
  
Okay, here he comes. C'mon, c'mon, I think, trying to coax him with my thoughts to speed up. He's slowing down.  
  
I don't think I can accomplish anything with my mind now awadays. I mean, there's a voice in there, and crazy ideas/stunts such as this one, and now, I can't even make my boyfriends legs move faster with it. What a waste of space.  
  
Gentle prodding takes me from my thoughts. His arms are on my shoulder, but the rest of his body is starting to tip at an angle as his legs start floating back up to the surface. Just as his fingers are about to slip away, I grab his arms with my own and bring him down.  
  
A few moments past and he looks at me as though I should do something. Hm... I know I had something planned, but now I can't remember!! Damn, uh, okay... How about this?   
  
My eyes slide shut and my grip loosens, my body falling to lay out in it's entirity on the pool/bathtub floor. The silence that water is prone to give is disturbed and I hear the movement of his legs as he moves towards me. His hands wrap around me and kicking off of the bottom, we break the surface.   
  
He lets out a large breath and calls out my name.  
  
"Goten, are you okay?!"   
  
"Bih Bwoub be bif buo BIBINT BIV BI BHEAD BWUHNDER BWAHTER!"  
  
Trunks blinks, the realizes that he has indeed left my nose and mouth under the water. My eyes glare as he brings me back up, smacing a smile on his face. Proceeding to remove a lock of hair from my face, my eyes don't waver. He won't get away with this that easily.   
  
"Okay mister, what did you-!" KAMI DAMMIT ALL ANYWAY!! He just HAD to go and KISS ME AGAIN, DIDN'T HE?! DAMN HIM DAMN HIM DAMN HIM!! That's an unfair advantage. Not that that's gonna make me stop him though. I mean, a kiss is a kiss...  
  
*Ten Minutes Later*  
  
"Goten...?" I rollover on the sheets of my bed and look at him in his sexy pose of choice. His hair touseled from, erm, recent endeavors, his lips curling into a playful smile, his arm supporting his head as the other holds my own. All in all, I give it 100% pure Sexy Man.   
  
"Yessss?" Relaxation is nice thing. Don't wanna go tensing up by THINKING about proper pronunciation.  
  
"What was that about earlier?" I smirk coyly and move my face in front of his.  
  
"Well, it was about the enjoyable, pleasurable, concotion of-"  
He blushes a little, a cute feature I was also surprised to find in this man. Lordie, is he full of them. When I'd first met the entrepeneur, I'd figured for sure he'd be arrogant and cold. But in the end, I was wrong, and there's nothing I'm more thankful for.  
  
"Not, *that*. I'm talking about the stunt in the pool."  
  
"A stunt? I didn't think it was THAT impressive."  
  
"NOT THAT ONE! I'm talking about your flexibility, I'm talking about the whole you sinking to the pool floor thing."  
  
"Ah, yes, and I had my leg like this.." I begin to demonstrate but he tenses.  
  
"I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT SEX!" Trunks blinks at his outburst before sighing.  
  
"I mean the part where I was afraid you'd drowned. What was the purpose of that?" My after-glow wears away in an instant as I realize I'd really scared him there. He couldn't have been that afraid..could he? My eyes search his clear blue eyes and I get my answer.   
  
Yes, he could be. The worst thing is, I DON'T KNOW WHY I DID IT EITHER!! But I can't tell him that. Then I'd seem like a horrible person...  
  
"Well, I just...You see, there was..." He waits and panic rises in my throat. Why am I panicing? I do not know. But how many people know why they panic in the first place?  
  
"I DROPPED A CONDOM ON THE BOTTOM OF THE POOL!" I shout. My cheeks flame red as his eyebrows raise, incredulous. Oouu, I hope he buys it. My mind, or lack thereof, can't come up with anything else.  
  
Stupid brain.  
  
"Oh." His arms wrap around me, and pull me to him. My face buried in his shoulder, I can't see what he's thinking or feeling, and the loss of that privelage really bothers me. Looking up into the tumbled mass of purple hair, I hug him back.  
  
"August 14."   
  
"What?"   
  
"August 14," I repeat, pulling my head back to rest on the pillow beside him, staring into his eyes. "That's when I wanna get married."   
  
"But Goten...That's only a week away." My smile is very convincing and I rest my hand on his face.   
  
"I know, but that's when my parent's had gotten married and it would mean a lot to me." His lower lip pushes his upper lip, a sure trademark that he's thinking. Yes! I am good...  
  
"There's a lot to be planned, you know."  
  
"I know! But who cares, I'll have Bra and Pan help me and that way it won't interfere with your work! C'mon, please?!" I jut out my own lower lip and widen my eyes even more. During one of our lunches earlier this week, I'd learned just how much of a sucker he is for the patented puppy face.   
  
"Okay, okay. Just don't get to fancy of a dress. Don't want to many buttons to undo on our honeymoon..." My jaw drops at his mocking face, and just as I'm about to reply, the phone rings. Frowning, my hand reaches to the stand and answers the phone.  
  
"Hello, Son Goten speaking and no, I'm not wearing clothes." I'm guessing it's Julia. She said she'd call us sometime this weekend.  
  
"Um, Goten? Is that you?" I shoot up and wrap the sheet around myself my bare torso. No...it couldn't be.   
  
"..Yes?"  
  
"It's Jake." My mouth falls open as he utters the deadly words and falling back, I twitch a little. Trunks, concerned as any good man would be, sits up and looks down at me.   
  
'Who is it?' He mouths to me, not wanting to be heard.   
  
'Jake,' I mouth back. One of his eyebrow lifts before he starts to laugh. Grabbing the pillow, I slam it on his face.   
  
"Thanks for your help, you dick head." Uncovering the phone and clearing my throat, I face him.  
  
"Oh, hi Jake!" Might as well act happy about it. "Long time no speak. How've been?"   
  
"I'm..I'm just fine, thanks for asking." He sounds nervous. Good. Let the little worm squirm, and wiggle, and get squished, and   
  
DIE. BWAHAHAHAHA!  
  
"Goten?"   
  
"What?"  
  
"I asked if you had a few minutes." For him? Hell no. But I couldn't say that. Bad phone etiquette.  
  
"Sure, anything for an old friend." Jake's sigh of relief wasn't hidden, the urge to break the phone is very tempting. Trunks, who has finally sobered and removed the pillow from his face looks eager for some reason...  
  
I am afraid.  
  
"Well, I was just wondering if you'd like to meet for dinner. As friends of course. To, you know, talk again. Like you said, it's been awhile."  
  
"Yeah, but that's because you've been so busy raising children with that one woman.."  
  
"My wife?"  
  
"Yeah, her." He sighs. Aww, gee, now he feels bad.  
  
Boo-fucking-hoo. I wish he'd move on to the point. As I said earlier, I'm not wearing clothes, and am sitting next to a sex god in the same condition. Wasting time is not an option.  
  
"Well, actually, I don't think-" Trunks steals the phone from me and covers the recievor.  
  
"What are you doing?! Your gonna say no?!"   
  
"Of course I'm gonna say no! Are you that brain dead you don't remember what he did to me?!" My mind marvels at this. One moment, ready to hang up and pounce the purple haired man, the next, I'm making fun of him as though it was last Sunday. Weird.  
  
"Hey! This is a great oppurtunity! Tell him you'll meet him at 7 at the Mountain Rose." Eyeing him with much suspicioun, I take back the phone.  
  
"That sounds good, Jake. Meet me at the Mountain Rose at 7. Yeah, I'll be there. No, I'm not going to kill you." Where in the WORLD did he get that idea?  
  
"Yep, I'm looking forward to it to. Yeah, bye!" Returning the phone to it's cradle, I look at my fiance.  
  
"What have you got planned my little cheese ball?" He was about to explain but my comment causes him to pause.   
  
"Cheese ball?" Oops. Guess I forgot to mention my new non-thinking campaign. All well. He'll figure it out soon enough. Until then...  
  
Let the chaos begin.  
  
**************  
  
Now this goes here, and this goes here...   
  
"Goten," Trunks asked, leaning against my doorway in his very attractive fitting black pants and loose tux jacket over a white shirt.   
Mm...yummy.  
  
"Yes?"   
  
"What are you doing to James?" Looking down at the furball in my lap and the new diamond studded collar, I realize I put it, on the er, wrong end.  
  
"Whoops, guess I was distracted by that wrinkle on your cheek."  
  
"What?! There is NOT a wrinkle on my cheek. I'm only a little older than you are mister! Insinuating that I'm old will get you nowhere."  
  
"K, gramps." He tenses, but remains silent. Removing James from my lap, I walk to him and kiss his cheek before getting my own jacket. I've found, over the course of the week, that Trunks often worries about his image.   
  
'When your a succesful business man, you can't be ugly. People won't like you.'  
  
'Well, that seems a little shallow,' I'd countered over the Chinese takeout.  
  
'Well, it's a shallow world.'  
  
'Wait, I thought your partner was three hundred pounds?!'  
  
'He is. But he's married and went to Harvard.'   
  
'Oh.' Like that was supposed to make it all okay. I didn't say anything though. Business was never my thing. Thus the job as a phone operator.  
  
"That's what your wearing?" I turn, buttoning up my shirt.  
  
"What's wrong with this?" I gesture to the Armani pants dark blue sweater, compliments of Banana Republic. So soft.  
  
"Nothing, it's just.." His eyes roam me in appreciation. I don't even blush. I know I look good. That was the idea.  
  
"I look good enough to eat?"  
  
"Yeah, I'd say your gonna put the resturant outta business." Laughing, I stroll past him and head down the hall.   
  
"Goten, what are you laughing at?" Trunks catches up with me, but I don't pause.   
  
"Goten!"  
  
"I'm sorry. I just didn't know the cheesy gene was in gay men. Wasn't that a straight guy gene?" His eye twitches and I wrap my arms around his shoulders.   
  
"I'm just kidding. Your tense." The frown drops from his face and he smirks.  
  
"No, I'm actually looking forward to this dinner. It will definately be interesting..."  
  
Uh oh.   
  
Cheese man's thinking.   
  
Interesting indeed...  
  
**************  
  
"Briefs, table of three?" The older french man looked at Trunks and smiled. He smelt money. I smelt potatoes.   
  
I'm beginning to question this non-thinking theory.  
  
"Goten?" Crap. Too late.  
  
"Hi, Jake!" Oh my god...look at him! The man before was not the man I had once dated. The so called 'not gay guy'. His silver shiny shirt was only half open revealing a gold cross lost in a bushel of chest hair and tight leather pants. Dear lord, he's stereoyping. Kill me now.  
  
"Hello...Goten." He just spotted Trunks and I know that my man was using his ice blue eyes to their full potential at that moment. Jake shifts, the grin on my face un-preventable. So, Jake thought he was meeting me alone, eh? Well he was WRONG baby!   
  
As we're seated, something strikes me. Only last week I was wishing to be back together with this...person and now, I feel so bitter and resentful. I don't feel BAD for feeling like that, but it's just odd. The wonderful treatment Trunks has been giving me the past week might have opened my eyes and gotten me to realize that I deserved someone who would give the dedication back openly. Oh my god...  
  
I love him.   
  
Trunks, my perfect man in question, lets me sit first and I slide into the booth. Jake sits across from us, downing the water in front of him in a clean gulp. Him? Nervous? HA HA!   
  
We placed our orders and sat there. Awkwardness fell onto myself and Jake, but Trunks remained calm. He seemed to be thinking about something, and I began to feel fear.   
  
"So, Goten, um, congrats on the engagement." My response was a nod, quick and curt. A glance at Trunks showed he'd only blinked in reply. What was with him tonight?  
  
"How are your children?" Though I'm sure it wasn't a topic Jake would've liked to discuss with me, he did. There didn't seem to be much of a choice in this as nothing else came to mind. The weather was a stupid topic, and I could care less about what he was feeling.   
  
Ten minutes passed and just as I was beginning to relax, I felt it. Just the lightest of touches on my thigh. My sentence broke while my eyes searched the other two's faces. Neither gave away anything, so blame was placed on my over-active imagination.   
  
Not a minute had passed when I felt it again, less hesitant than before. The hand rested just above my knee, then moved inwards a little, the fingers massaging the muscle lightly. I gripped my napkin and swallowed my food. That hand was *distracting*.   
  
Conversation lay in the back of my mind has the hand moved towards me. The feel was...*enjoyable* to say the least and if it kept going at this rate I was going to jump someone. Closer....  
  
"Goten?"  
  
Closer...  
  
"Goten, are you okay?"  
  
Oh my god...  
  
"AH!" I jumped up, almost knocking the whole table over onto Jake. Curse the resturant, the table was to high and my force wasn't enough. It covered the effects of that hand though, which was something to be thankful for, I spose. I noticed the odd look Jake was giving me, and the arrogant smirk of satisfaction on Trunks' face.   
  
That purple haired bastard.   
  
"Um, could you excuse me for a sec? I just have to go to the bathroom." Smiling, I stepped over Trunks, making sure to 'accidentally' kick him in the stomach, and headed towards the bathroom.  
  
**************  
  
"Okay, Goten. Get a hold of yourself," I spoke to my reflection. "This is okay. It's a situation you can handle. Don't worry about the fact that you're aroused during an important dinner with your fiance and your ex. Everything...is okay." Who am I kidding?!  
  
THIS SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Just as I'm about to kick myself, the bathroom door opens and Jake enters, looking a little mischievous. Jumping onto the counter, I smile as I cross my legs. Don't want him to get the wrong impression.   
  
He smiles in return only a moment before he steps up and kisses me. Seems that crossing my legs isn't good enough for it. Giving into my instinct, I push him away and scrub at my lips with the sleeve of my sweater.  
  
"What was that?! Are you crazy or something?!" His eyes are wide as he stares at me. The sure expression is gone from his face, revealing the sniveling lost 'straight' man he was before we dated.   
  
"But, I thought that.."  
  
"That what? I still loved you? That I was lusting after you while I engaged myself to a guy who's ten times more the man than you?!" He looks angry and steps towards me.   
  
"You never would've met that guy if you hadn't been at that club. You'd never met him before in your life, and you let yourself become engaged to him. You wanna know why? Because your a weak, pansy ass little gay mamma's boy who still loves me and knows it, but thinks if he marry's this rich boy, all his problems will go away. And that is why I never loved you."   
  
Rage consumes me and with one loud, clear sound, my fist makes contact with his face, and his nose breaks.  
  
"You *asshole*! Who do you think you are?! I may be a lot of things, but I am NOT WEAK! I was, obviously, because I dated a controlling bastard like you! I wasn't good enough for you, you 'never loved me' and left me for a woman. I was happy with my life a couple weeks ago, but your right. I did still love you because I didn't see you for what you are. A self-absorbed, egotistical, stereotypical, conniving JACKASS WHO THINKS THAT I'M JUST AN OBJECT! Well I'll tell you something Jake! I LOVE that man out there and I'm going to marry him and be happy for the rest of my life, and YOU are going to be in an unhappy marriage with kids that despise you, all the while knowing what you lost!! I hope Kami punishes you slowly and painfully so your children can have at least one happy memory with you as they watch you pay for the suffering you'll cause them. Goodbye Jake, and go to hell."  
  
Turning, I slammed the door and left one phase of my life. Heading towards the table, we grabbed our coats leaving the bill to Jake and talked. And as we drove home, I knew that next week, my life was really going to begin.   
  
With Trunks.   
  
*************  
Well, there you have it! Hope you all enjoyed it. (I'm trying not to bash myself anymore) Only one more chapter left, then an epilouge! I'm so sad... I really like this fic. I have a nice new one stirring in my mind though, so never fear! A comical Goten POV AU truten is already under construction! Also, a reminder to all artists out there! I'm holding an artcontest where you need only draw a scene from any of my fics, and first place gets their choice of either a one-shot or a pic drawn by moi ^.^ ALSO!!!! LOOK HERE!!!! I feel happy, so I'm adding another, more open art contest. If you draw your design of Jack V Briefs, and send it by December 21, which is also the deadline for the Truten contest, to jackvbriefs@hotmail.com and you win, the same prizes apply. So, hope you enter! Till the next update!  
-Jack V Briefs 


	9. Moods Range and Things Change

I know, it's been awhile, ne? Well, I've had the most severe case of writers block ever! the past month, and it is finally gone! *does happy dance* So, I'll hopefully be updating my fics more often. One of my New Years Resolutions is to write 1,000 words a day, a feat I could accomplish last year, but seem to be slacking now that I'm the big one five. Well, I hope you all enjoy the fic! OH! Btw, the winner of the contest is Pogi12, the ONLY person to enter! So congrats to you Pogi and that fic will posted soon! ^.^ Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: Too worn out to come up with something stupid/clever. I don't own it.   
  
***************  
  
I hear my door squeak and roll over. Why, WHY couldn't I sleep for just a FEW MORE MINUTES?! The past five days has been hell and back again, but I guess that doesn't get a guy mercy, does it?   
  
Getting to my elbows, I look over the sheet to see the robe clad form of my fiance. I'd take a few minutes to admire the Adonis before me, but unfortunately, that Adonis is about to step on my cat.  
  
"TRUNKS!"   
  
"AH!" He yells for the split second before he jumps two feet in the air. He turns to me, his eyes wide.  
  
"Your awake?!" Shouldn't I be? Oh my god. Was I supposed to be dead?!   
  
"You poisoned me, didn't you, you son of a BITCH!" Chucking a pillow at him, I turned around, and hmphed. It was a nice positioned to get stabbed in the back in, but all well. If he'd really poisoned me, there wouldn't be much time to live anyway.  
  
"What?! NO, I did NOT poison you, Goten." I narrowed my eyes at a speck at a wall and felt guilt rising in my throat. What was that? Since when am I *moody*? Especially after...well after ten inches.   
  
Smiling is how he finds me while coming to kneel at the bedside, his purple hair shining in the morning light and his eyes a perfect blue. Taking his head in my hand, the idea that this was the man I was going to marry in two days, was very comforting.  
  
"I wasn't planning to, you know," he says in a small voice, looking at something I couldn't see then back to me. It was that cute little boy gesture that made my heart melt.  
  
"You stupid wonderful man," I muttered, shaking my head at him. He raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Don't ask. Just take it as a compliment."   
  
"Okay..... You make absolutely *no* sense sometimes, you know that Goten?" Of course I did. If I did make sense, would I be here? I think not.   
  
"That's why you love me, right?" A pat on the head and a quick kiss. That's what I get as he leaves the room. "Of course!" he shouts from the hall. Laying back into the pillows, satisfaction written on my face, my body sinks and relaxes. Now... Need sleep...  
  
"THAT'S RIGHT CAT! YOU BETTER RUN BECAUSE I'M GONNA KILL YOUR FURRY ASS AND SEND YOUR REMAINS TO A FUR COMPANY SO YOU CAN BE TURNED INTO A COAT!!! THEN I'LL HAVE IT *BURNED*!!!" What the-?  
  
My mind freezes as my boxer-clad boy and fuzz-ball cat come storming into the room, running as if their lives depended on it. From the sound of it, James did. I saw James running towards me and the bed and my eyes widened only moments before the cat pounced, followed by one big hunk of man-flesh.   
  
"Grr.." I frowned at him, wrapping myself around him and holding him in place. His squirming stopped moments before, leaving me to relax somewhat with some disappointment.  
  
"What is going on?" He mumbles something and pulls himself off of me roughly, turning to leave the room. "Hey! I asked you something!"   
His eyes regarded me before he began to leave.  
  
"Your damn cat puked on my best coat!" Was that all? My eyes roll while I get to my feet, taking my time to get to him.   
  
"Trunks..." Resting a hand on his cheek, I sigh and shake my head. "It's just a suit. You've got a bunch of them in your closet. Just go in there and pick out another one-"  
  
"Goten, that isn't going to work!" He yelled at me. It caught me off guard and my back hit the door frame. A jolt of pain hit me, hissed through my teeth. Trunks didn't seem to notice.  
  
"I have a meeting today! One that is going to either make or break me! I NEED TO IMPRESS THEM OR I'LL BE JUST ANOTHER AVERAGE BUSINESSMAN IN THE SAME CRAPPY INCOME LEVEL AS YOU!" The words hit me hard, much worse than any physical pain he could have inflicted. For a first serious fight he sure knew what to say.   
  
Hurt filled my eyes and I looked away, heading back into my room. His hand wraps around my stomach to draw me back to him and I'm too lost in myself to stop him.   
  
"I'm sorry," he whispers in my ear. His hold tightened on me, but it didn't hold it's usual mesmorizing effects. "I really am, Goten. I didn't mean it, you know that. It's just... this was a very important thing for me and that suit was really expensive..."  
  
"Oh, please." I step out of his embrace, turning to look at him with blurry eyes. "Don't lie. You may not have always had it on your mind, but you know that's what you've thought in the past. I admit I may not have had the biggest income in the world, but I got by!" Trunsk tried to interrupt me, but I wouldn't let him. I was on a roll.  
  
"And you need to stop caring so goddamn much about your image and think more about the personality you show instead of how many thousands of dollars you spend on your clothes! If these people are only buying your business and your image, the fuck them! And if that really is all that's important to you, I think we need to rethink this engagement! Now if you would please excuse me, I'm going to sleep!"   
  
The sound of the slam resonated in the large room. My feet gave and I slid down the length of the door, burying my face in my hands. Did I really mean what I'd just said? I didn't really want to not go through with this....did I?   
  
James came out from under the bed. He looked at me with innocent cat eyes wondering what had just happened if cats could think. I don't keep on animal traits anymore than I do business. I picked him up, resting him in my lap while staring at the room.  
  
The grandoir of it all was enrapturing. The deep colors, the soft and expensive materials with patterns so delicate I couldn't figure them out if I stayed there all my life. And that was just the curtains.   
  
We walked over to the balcony window of my room, taking in the breathtaking view of the city. It was wonderful to live this way. It expensive, it was well cared for, and it had Trunks. What else could I need? I sigh, shaking my head. I need a real life.   
  
***************  
  
"I thought I did have a real life, you know?" I explain to the four women on my bed from my closet, examining the clothes Bra had recently stock piled in it. Pan shrugged, head resting in her hand.   
  
"I thought you did too. I mean, you had fun with the guy, your in *love* with the guy, you've got food, you've got your cat, you've got a huge house, you go to lunch with him everyday...."  
  
"Sounds like a life to me," Bra finished for her. Hm, maybe they were right? Was I overdramatizing the whole situation? Making a mountain out of a mole hill? Ugh, I had expressions.   
  
"I'm sure your just being paranoid sweetie. Everyone gets like that after they have their first fight. When he gets home tonight, it's gonna be like nothing ever happened. Now c'mon," Julia says, getting to her feet and gesturing for my mother, Pan, and Bra to do the same. "We've got to get to that wedding site in ten minutes or your not gonna have a place to get married."  
  
"That would be an interesting problem to solve, Pan says as we all walk towards the limo given the task of taking us out near the coast. I nod, taking a deep breath of the air. It smelled pure out here, just like it had at my home on the beach. Untainted by the city life. Didn't seem it's occupant was the same.   
  
"Hey Goten, you okay?" Julia pats my shoulder, concern in her eyes. I just shake it off and smile. "Nah, I'm fine. Let's get going, shall we?" She knows I'm faking the smile, but ignores it. She knows I'd go to her if I wanted to talk.   
  
We have to take a route through the city to get to the site. It's only a few miles away from where I used to live. I wondered if they'd sold it or demolished it. I hoped they hadn't. It was quite nice for the cheap price tag.   
  
The car turns left and there he is. Talking among a group of older, well dressed men wearing a casual polo shirt and khaki's. My eyes widen. He's never dressed so toned down before. Was it because of what I said? He looks up but we've already passed him by.   
  
Sliding back into my seat, a stupid smile slaps itself onto my face. He listened to me. He didn't dress up to the nine's, he just went as an ordinary Joe. God I love him.   
  
"Uncle Goten, you okay?" Bra looks over my niece's cousin and smiles, taking Pan's hand in her own. "I wouldn't worry about him. Something tells me him and Trunks are gonna make up no problem later on." Pan raised an eyebrow, obviously confused.   
  
"Don't worry about it. Just know that everythings alright." She shrugged, casting me one more glance.   
  
"Okay. But if he passes out, I say we go for a drink."  
  
"Agreed."  
  
**************  
  
After a long lunch at a local resturant after having met the wedding coordinator at the site, it felt nice to get home. I had to think of some way to surprise him. Since I'd been put in charge of the wedding plans, he had really no idea about it. Maybe I could show him some of the pictures we'd taken at the site? Nah.   
  
At least I didn't have to worry about not being dressed in a pleasing way for Trunks. Bra had picked out an outfit just for me that would definately put a smile on Trunks face. Too bad I'd taken it off when I'd gotten home and just put on a robe instead. Chains don't suit me.   
  
Dinner was already set up on a tray which I wheeled down the hall towards his room. I didn't expect him to come home for a little while, but this way, once he changed and got relaxed, we could spend the rest of the night in here.   
  
My eyes bulged at the site of his room. I hadn't really come in here, now that I think about it. Most of our time was spent in my room for various reasons. It gave off the appearance of a more personal room though, which may explain it. It was done in dark blues and silvers, surprising because of how much of a contrast it would be with his hair.   
  
The sheets were silk, as were mine, no fancy patterns like mine though. Just silver on the sheets and blue on the blanket with silver pillow covers. This surprised me. I'd always just assumed he was full of elegance, not this relaxed modern-theme. The fuzzy carpet was soft and there was some clothes discarded on the floor, yet another surprise. Didn't the maids clean in here?   
  
Pulling on the bell in the hall, there was none in his room, I waited a few moments before a young blonde arrived, a feather duster in her hand.   
  
"Yes, Master Son?"   
  
"By any chance, would you know if any maids clean in Trunks' room? Like they do with mine?" Her green eyes widened.  
  
"Why, no, Master Son. Master Briefs has never let us into his room. It was unnecessary he said. Is there any particular reason, Master Son?"   
  
"Oh, no, I was just curious. Don't worry, it's not a pigsty," I added, seeing the fearful look she'd given me. I dismissed her and wandered around the large room. There were shelves of books lining the walls. How many books could one man have? His library was larger than the cities...  
  
Closer inspection showed them to be records and books on business tactics. Dear lord, they had *that* many?! How do business people do that?!   
  
The thoughts were shaken aside as my curiousity led me to his desk. It was dark wood, a computer, printer, and files strewn along it. What kind of business did he run again? I lifted the corner of a yellow file, scanning a few lines of the print before getting confused. It was just a blur or letters and jargon. I wasn't even going to comment.  
  
"Well, now I've just gotta set up a few things and then I'll wait," I said in the empty room. I was reverting to talking to myself? Reflecting on the earlier times I'd done that, it wasn't a good idea.   
  
A few minutes later, I had flowers, chocolate, food, and massage oil spread in a proffesional manner around the bed area. The curtains around the bed were drawn a little, adding a little mystery. It was a nice effect.   
  
Laying down on the bed, I closed my eyes and waited, sure he'd arrive any minute now.   
  
An hour passed.  
  
Any minute.  
  
***************  
  
A slit of light hit my face, flashing red through the cover of my eyes. I winced and rolled over, getting a mouth full of rose petal.   
  
"Pi tooey! Pi tooey! Blech..." A quick bite of chocolate gets rid of the nasty taste but I am getting the biggest sinking feeling in my gut that something isn't right. Shouldn't there be something next to me? Shouldn't the seal on that massage oil be open? Shouldn't I be NAKED?!   
  
"Oh my god..." It downed on me. Trunks hadn't come home. I jumped out of bed, falling on my face as my feet had entangled themselves in the curtain. No time to yell at them though. I had a man to find! Bursting through the door, I fell once again, but because of a more pleasant thing.   
  
Trunks frowned, taking the brunt of the fall on his back. I opened one of my eyes and was surprised at what I saw. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was drunk. Better to get the facts instead of just guesses. More accurate.   
  
Assuming the trapping position, aka straddling the love of my life, I crossed my arms and looked at him with narrowed eyes. He wasn't going anywhere till I got some answers.   
  
"Get ready to explain yourself young man. I stayed up all night worried sick about you!" Okay, that was a lie, but sometimes a lie will get you the truth. Don't ask for an example. I don't have one.  
  
"What?" Those words seemed to have knocked him from his drunken stupor. He sat up, his nose colliding with my chest. I tipped his chin upward, looking into his eyes. My body relaxed, my worry starting to leak through my stare.  
  
"Where were you? You left me all alone and I had no idea where you were..." My hands went through his messy hair, brushing strands from his face. He sighed and wrapped his arms around my waist.  
  
"Goten, last night was my bachelor party. I thought I'd told you about that?"   
  
"No, I don't think-"  
  
"Oh wait. I was going to tell you this morning but..." He trailed off to look at a corner. The blonde maid from last night exited my room and looked at us curiously before turning and walking the other way. Smart girl. She should get a raise.  
  
"Don't worry about it, Trunks." I smiled at his surprise. "I saw what you wore to that meeting. That was a shock to say the least." He laughed.  
  
"You should've seen the look on their faces when I walked into the conference room. They thought I was the janitor. I explained that the missus had put all my suits on hiatus so this was all I had left."  
  
"The 'missus'? You of all people should know that I'm no women where it counts..." He wiggled his eyebrows and kissed me, a lingering morning kiss that I would've damned him for in the past. Stupid tempting sexy man.   
  
I was a little disappointed he'd lied about why he was dressed casually, but I ignored it. He'd done it hadn't he? I mean, who was I to ask any more?   
  
"I'm sorry about what I said. I don't think you have a bad income Goten. I was just stressed out." A feeling within me kept me from replying. It would be nice to just brush it off, pretend that had never been said, but I just couldn't. I've always been self-concious when it came to my job in comparison to my brothers, so it would take quite awhile for that would to heal. The idea that he really thought that poorly of my life before him, a life I'd lived only a week or so before, was a shadow that would haunt my mind for awhile. But this was the day before our wedding. I was going to enjoy it.  
  
"I got you some chocolates. And I took some pictures at the wedding site. They've gotten most of the stuff all set up already." He looked surprised, seeming not to have noticed my change of subject.  
  
"Already? Two days before hand? What if it rained and everything got ruined?"   
  
"Well, that's a drawback to any outdoor wedding. But all these magazines want to take pictures. Not like, the Times or anything. But Modern Weddings, and other ones like that. The Times isn't goign to be taking pictures until the reception." He didn't seem to make a big deal out of the Times thing. I was overjoyed though. I'd never imagined that one day the Times would want to cover something I was involved in. On the other hand, Trunks had been on their covers two times before with big time politics and corporate leaders. No wonder he wasn't jumping like a school girl.  
  
***************  
  
Trunks adjusted his tie for the upteenth time in the car. My hand covered his to stop his movement.   
  
"Trunks, sweetie, if you pull that tie any tighter the circulation to your big head is going to be cut off and your face is going to match your hair for the photos. I don't wanna marry a grape so stop." He pulled the tie from my reach and tugged it once more in rebellion before relaxing.  
  
"Sorry, I'm just a little nervous." Him? Nervous?!   
  
"Why?" It was just the rehearsal dinner. We'd decided to skip the rehearsal of the actual ceremony as Trunks liked to improv things. Like I hadn't learned that by now.   
  
"Well, we're gonna get married tomorrow. It's just finally hitting me I suppose." My gaze must've shown that I was unconvinced becuase he looked out the window and mumbled something.  
  
"What was that? I didn't hear you."   
  
"That and the fact that now your gonna have to meet my parents." My god. I'd forgotten about that. I wish I'd worn a more expensive suit. Wait, now *I* was starting to worry about my image?! This is a first. I'm starting to turn into Trunks. I'd feel sorry for the world if that was the case. One Trunks was just perfect but two of them?! We'd all be dead.   
  
"We're here, sir." Trunks nodded to the driver and squeezed my hand, for his reassurance or my own I didn't know.   
  
Flashes of light pierced the nightime light as we exited, both of us smiling at the camera's. The walk to outdoor coliseum was short. It seemed longer because of the pause inbetween steps for a camera to shoot, but we made it safely.   
  
The light given off by each table was small white christmas lights to give it a fuzzy romantic effect. My family, meaning my mother, my niece, and Gohan, were all seated. Seeing the face of my brother was a surprise. Last I'd heard, he was on vacation. Guess mom made him come back. Other friends of mine were on the same side as my family, but the people on the other side weren't familiar with the exception of Bra.  
  
There was another blue haired woman, though her hair was shorter than Bra's with an older style compared to Bra's modern and practical choice. A man sat beside her, hair as dark as my own spiked to the sky. I did not want to think about how much money he dedicated to styling gel a day. There was an older couple next to them, a blonde and a gray haired man, followed by other, younger people that I assume to be Trunks friends. There were quite a few of them.   
  
"Trunks, just how many people did you invite for your side?" He smiled and waved at everyone as we walked down the steps to them. "Oh, not many... This isn't everyone of course. Everyone else was working. There'll be roughly two or three times as many people at the wedding tomorrow." ROUGHLY TWO OR THREE TIMES?! IS HE CRAZY?!   
  
Time to process the thought wasn't given and before I knew it we were seated. I sat beside the blue haired women, while Trunks sat beside my mom. Well, not really beside since we were sitting at the head of the table. I smiled at her as Trunks stood up, holding a glass of wine and my hand in the other.  
  
"Hello everyone. I'd like to thank you on behalf of myself and Goten for coming on such short notice. I know many of you were surprised to hear of my sudden engagement and probably thought I was just rushing into things, but something must've pushed that aside, probably the promise of thank you gifts," a few laughs came out from his friends side and he paused. "That made you all realize that I've never been one to rush. Usually, I take longer than your wives to make decisions!" More laughter sounded and he smiled. A squeeze to my hand brought him off once again.  
  
"It seems that for once, I have rushed into something, while in another way, I haven't. We all wait the whole of our lives to find that special someone and I believe that I have in Son Goten. It may have been about two weeks that I've known him, but I'm going to spend the rest of our lives learning everything that makes him tick. And I'm sure, considering the ring on his finger, he's willing to do the same."  
  
The last part of his speech was said looking into my eyes. I smiled at him and stood, giving him a quick shy kiss before trying to pull away. He wasn't about to let me do so though, so I stood there and kissed him back, blushing deep red at the fact I was doing so in front of both our parents. When he pulled away, I sat down, trying to bury my face in the glass. He merely laughed and sat down, lifting a glass.  
  
"A toast," Bra said, standing. "To the groom and... Goten." She laughed and everyone clinked glasses. Food was passed around and I began to relax. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.   
  
***************  
  
Two hours later, things were going wonderfully. I'd had a great conversation with Dr. Briefs, Trunks grandfather, about cats. Seems he likes them just as much as I do! It was nice being able to relate with someone who's IQ I could never achieve. Made me feel more worthy of the air I was breathing.   
  
Trunks father Vegeta hadn't really said anything to me, minus asking for me to pass the potatoes. A man of few words I was guessing. That was fine. He was a little intimidating for me anyway.   
  
Bulma, or mom as she insisted I call her, laughed at my remark about Trunks 'persuasive' manner.   
  
"Oh yeah, that sounds like my son." She took a sip of wine and smiled. "He probably got that kissing strategy from me. It always worked when I wanted to get something from my vegetable," she said, winking while pinching the thigh of the man in question. He jumped and glared at her from his seat. She merely smiled, facing me again.  
  
"It drives me nuts, in more ways than one, believe you me," we laughed again. She was a very nice woman. Definately someone I'd like to call my mother.   
  
"Goten." I excused myself from the conversation with Bulma and faced my real mom who seemed to be enjoying herself just as much as I was.   
  
"Yeah, mom?"   
  
"I just wanted to congratulate you. You've gotten yourself quite a catch with that young Briefs man. I think he's a keeper." She smiled and patted my hand before turning to Gohan, speaking with him once again. This night was just full of surprises it seemed.   
  
I laid back in my seat and looked at Trunks who sat a few seats down from me, conversing with one of his friends. Jeremy, I believe his name was. He looked at me and smiled. I waved and smiled back. My mom was right and for one of the first times in my life, I thought she was too.   
  
I froze and blinked, tilting my head while listening to the words I'd just picked up.  
  
"Quite a nice ass on that guy of yours Trunks, I must say. You always did have impeccable taste." Sure, it was a compliment, but still. It was creepy to have someoen I hardly knew say it.   
  
"Can't argue that fact, can I? He's more than just a body though, Jeremy. He's a wonderful guy."   
  
"Right. If I were you, I'd keep him locked in my room for the rest of our days if you catch my drift." My arms wrapped around myself at the comment. It made me feel so dirty...   
  
"Hey, watch your mouth. That's my fiance your talking about!" Whoo hoo! I cheered, glad that Trunks wouldn't let his friend get away with a comment like that. If it were up to me, he'd have lost a few of his teeth by now. Trunks was pretty loyal, so I knew it'd take worse than a stray comment for him to break Jeremy's face. With luck, it wouldn't get that far.   
  
Their conversation went back to normal an I sighed, twirling the wine in my glass around. Everyone was getting along, so that meant no qualms at the ceremony tomorrow. Wow... After that day I'm gonna be married. I'll never kiss or make love to another man again. It was an odd thought, but not scary in the least. I loved Trunks and now that I think about it, he really is the only person I'll need for the rest of my life.   
  
***************  
  
"Thanks for coming!" I hugged Julia and whispered in her ear. "I think that guy liked you...." She giggled, a rarity to be sure, and cast a look in his direction after we pulled away. "You think?" I nodded.   
  
"Definately."   
  
"Aw, my Goten's getting married. I'm happy for you, bud. I'll see you tomorrow." I smile and nod. "Yep! See you in the morning." She left, leaving the remainder of our group consisting of Trunks, Jeremy, John (his business partner, no wife to be found), Bra, Pan, Gohan, and our parents. May not sound like much of a difference, but it was. A *big* difference.   
  
Trunks sat beside me, talking with John about business. I'd just been picking at some cake when I heard my name mentioned.  
  
"Hm..?" John looked at me while something in Trunks gaze warned me about something.   
  
"I was just asking what you did for a living, Goten."   
  
"Oh. Well, I'm a-"  
  
"Goten's imbetween jobs at the moment." I blinked at my purple-haired partner, surprised at teh pharse. I wasn't really inbetween jobs if you thought about it. I'd quit the other one, seeing no need for it anymore, and I wasn't looking for a different one. What did he mean?  
  
"Really..... And what did he do before he got fired?"  
  
"Goten didn't get fired. He quit. See, the law firm at which Goten worked wasn't paying him the amount his talents diserved, so I convinced him to quit. We've decided he won't work until after the marriage." I gawked at him. He was lieing right in front of my face!   
  
"Trunks-" I began but he cut me off. "Isn't that right, Goten?"   
My brown eyes turned dark, narrowing at him before I threw my napkin down on the table.  
  
"Excuse me. I need to use the restroom." I made my way across the green land towards the small building at it's other end, ignoring the rushed steps I heard behind me.  
  
"Goten, wait!" My pace quickened but he caught up with me, grabbing my hand. I whipped around and pulled away, glaring at him.  
  
"What do you want? Ask me to keep quiet about that lie you just told?! Why did you lie in the first place? Are you ashamed of me? Of who I am?!" He didn't respond, but looked aside. I didn't want to hear his excuses. I went into the men's room and closed the door behind me.   
  
Once again I found tears in my eyes at his expense. Maybe I had rushed into all of this and I wasn't just being paranoid. After all, we were just in that period every couple has when they first start dating and everythings too good to be true. Is that what happened?   
  
"Hey, Goten, what are you doing in here?" Jeremy looked at me from drying off his hands. I forced a smile and walked towards the specified wall.  
  
"Well, I'm going to the bathroom obviously." I laughed and shook my head. My hands went towards my pants when the feeling of being watched fell over me. I went to turn, but hands stopped me. Hands that started at my shoulders and slid down towards my wrists which were in a very close proximity to certain places. I swallowed and shuddered, not of lust, but of repulsion.  
  
"Jeremy, what are you doing?" I felt his breath on my ear and held back a gag, tensing my body.   
  
"I just thought I'd try a piece of the pie is all..." he said, the words rolling off his tongue like bad medicine. I turned my head from his face, struggling to get away from him.   
  
"Jeremy, let me go!" He didn't comply, so I closed my eyes and brought my foot back, nailing him where it hurts. Even I felt sorry for the guy. I must have little respect for my fellow man. What a low blow. All well. I let the disgust show on my face and turned, to run out of the bathroom. Trunks was talking with my mother once again.  
  
"Trunks!" I yelled from twenty feet away. He looked at me, as well as everyone else who was still there.  
  
"Trunks..." I tried to catch my breath and rested my hands on his shoulders to steady myself.  
  
"What is it, Goten?" He had some reserve in his voice. He was probably surprised at my change in demeanor.  
  
"It's Jeremy..."  
  
"What? What happened to him?" I shook my head and looked into his eyes.  
  
"He tried to.... He made a move on me in the bathroom." Trunks eyse widened before he took a step back, the blue of his eyes darkening. "No, no, no, Goten, you have to be mistaken. I've known Jeremy and he can make some inappropriate comments but he would never make a move on you. Not my Jeremy." What?! He thinks I'm lieing?! HE'S ONE TO TALK!   
  
I bit back my anger and tried to pour all my honesty into my eyes.  
  
"Trunks, you've got to believe me! I was about to go to the bathroom when he came up behind me and made a pass at me! He probably would've raped me if I hadn't escaped for all I know!" The guests shifted, looking a little embarrased to bear witness to the scene.   
  
His eyes were closed, his fists held tightly at his sides. He was gonna blow.  
  
"Trunks...I'm not lieing..."   
  
"Yes you are! I *know* Jeremy!! HE WOULD NEVER DO THAT!" The rage in his eyes was unbelieveable. I'd known Jeremy had been a close friend of his for quite awhile but this...this was unreasonable!  
  
"And just so you know, I DON'T APPRECIATE YOU LIEING ABOUT MY FRIENDS WITH FALSE ACCUSATIONS!" He took a step towards me and grabbed the lapels of my shirt, lifting me to my toes and bringing me close to his face.   
  
"Now apologize," he whispered lowly. Bra took a step forward but the dark look Trunks sent her way stopped her in her tracks.   
  
My mind was spinning. Never, never would I have imagined him to get so angry. Had what I said been that bad? Even if it was, I wasn't about to let him speak to me like that. I could be very intimidating in this position though. Looking away, my fist was withdrawn before it made contact with his cheek, sending him back to hit the table. My chest heaved as I stared him down.  
  
"Don't you dare call *me* the liar, Trunks Briefs. *Your* the one who lied about my job! That's right John, I'm not a lawyer! I'm not even a fucking BUSINESSMAN! I'M A TELEPHONE OPERATOR! And you know what else?! I've also been living on twenty thousand dollars a year! ALONE! WITH A CAT AND A BROKEN HEART!" I turned away from the large man and stared my 'love' in the eye.  
  
"Trunks, if your so fucking ASHAMED of me and who I am, why'd you even ask me to marry you?! Why not find yourself a woman that fit your big man image?! Huh?! What was that John?! Why did Trunks lie, you ask?! BECAUSE HE'S AN ASSHOLE WHO ONLY CARES ABOUT HIMSELF AND HIS IMAGE! And you wanna know WHY THIS IS GONNA BE THE LAST TIME YOU EVER SEE ME?!" I took the ring of my finger, tears of anger and shame and guilt falling down my face.   
  
"BECAUSE THIS ENGAGEMENT, AND THIS WEDDING, IS OVER!" I threw the ring at him and ran. Ran from their cries, from the pain I saw in his eyes, from the dizzying feelings I felt, and just let my feet be my guide.  
  
***************  
  
Julia opened her door, not asking questions just liked I'd hoped she wouldn't and brought me into her apartment, bringing me a pair of spare pajamas and leading me to her guest bedroom. I tried to thank her, but found myself unable to speak. She just nodded and closed the door behind her.  
  
Pulling the sheets tightly around me, I closed my eyes and sobbed. It was over. My dream, the beautiful loving dream I'd felt was over. If only Trunks could've believed me about Jeremy... If only I'd confronted him about the reason behind the casual wear, if only I'd been able to say no when I had the chance... if only...  
  
I buried my face in the pillow, feeling sleep pulling on my weary body. It was too late for 'if only's' now. What was done was done and now, for the second time in my life, I feel, bitterly and utterly, alone.   
  
***************  
  
Wow, that has got to be one of the longest chapters I've written in a long time. Hope that makes up for your wait! ^.^' Do not fear, readers! This is NOT THE END! Like I could leave Goten in such despair! It's merely the last chapter. The epilouge is next. I can't believe it..*cries* only the epilouge and it's all over! Thank you all SOOO much for your support throughtout this fic. Without it, I'd probably have stopped writing a long time ago. I hope you all continue to read my other stories ^.^ It's nice to know that I'm not just wasting my time. I'll come out with the epilouge soon, I promise! -Jack V Briefs 


	10. Ain't It Funny

Yes, I know, an update so soon? Well let's just say that some outside pressures *coughs* UNCLE KEVIN *coughs* had me work on it. So here it is! The long awaited, well not really, epilouge to The Capitol Room! It's been a long road @_@ Also! I've decided that I have such wonderful fans that I'm going to be drawing and scanning in a special treat for all my reviewers! So, just include in your review that you'd like a pic and I'll email it to ya once it's finished! ^.^ Also, this chapters dedicated to Panda-chan!   
  
Disclaimer: Own it? I wish!  
  
***************  
  
It seemed to be like the perfect thing for you and me  
It's so ironic you're what I had pictured you to be  
But there are facts in our lives we can never change  
Just tell me that you understand and feel the same  
  
***************  
  
Days passed. I never left that apartment, choosing to just sit around the apartment, Julia's, and slack as I'd never slacked before. I became well aquainted with the queens of afternoon television. Oprah... Jessi... Jerry Springer... They became my only friends besides Julia of course, who made sure I ate enough to prevent my body from turning into a stick or melted mush.   
  
No one called for me here. I don't think it's because they didn't know I was here, but just that they knew I'd like to be alone. Which was true. Even Julia didn't say much. It was nice, but made me feel as alone as that night two weeks ago. It had rained the next day, an omen I should've seen coming.   
  
Or perhaps I'd changed my fate? By canceling the occasion and crying a lifetimes worth of tears that night had I changed the cosmos and caused tears to fall from the sky as well? That's a little big of me to think, but it's better than considering the other option...  
  
That the whole thing was just a cursed situation.  
  
But I'd choosen to ignore the signs, enveloping the craziness and aura of a love sick fool. I was so naive... Well never again! I was going to find a new job, get a new place, and return to spinster-dom once again. Life wouldn't be so bad without a true love. I'd have all the freedom and independence I could ever want... Who am I kidding?  
  
I sit on the guest bed and curl my arms around my legs, burying my face from the world. I couldn't fool anybody. Not Julia, not the world, and not myself.  
  
I loved him, dammit, but I couldn't be with him. Not now, not ever....  
  
So why did it hurt so bad?  
  
***************  
  
This perfect romance that I've created in my mind  
I'd live a thousand lives, each one with you right by my side  
But yet we find ourselves in a less than perfect circumstance  
And so it seems like we'll never have the chance  
  
***************  
  
"Goten...." The prodding at my side is ignored. I roll over, pulling the blanket over my head with the hope that Julia would get the idea and leave me *alone*.   
  
"C'mon you lazy ass, I'm getting you out of this apartment NOW. You haven't left the place in two weeks and your starting to smell!" I know that last comment wasn't true. I'd taken a bath just yesterday. She must be pretty desperate.   
  
I threw back the blanket, my bangs hanging in my face while I glared at her. She gave me a soft smile and brushed back my hair.  
  
"See? That wasn't so bad, now, was it? Let's get you dressed. We're going to lunch with the girls." Grumbling all the while, I obeyed her command and threw on some pants and a turtleneck. A chill was exposed in the air. Sooner than usual, as it was only late August, but it was there alright. With a vengence.   
  
"Well, aren't we dressed up?" She stuck out her tongue at me, twirling in the long sleeved dress before putting on a coat.   
  
"And if I am? What are you gonna do? Throw some of your extra pounds at me?" Me gaining wait?! She's crazy! I've lost like five or ten pounds! More than she could say and she was on a diet!  
  
"I'm not even going to respond to that lame remark. I am not gaining weight, I'm losing it." A flicker of sadness passed through her eyes, but I looked away too soon to see if there was anything else in there. I didn't want to have anyone's pity right now. If I was going to recover, if I was going to get past Trunks, I was going to close off my love-related emotions and live the rest of my life alone.   
  
It didn't seem to be too bad of an idea now. No one to hurt me, to one to lie or make me dislike myself. I'd be the only person I'd depend on and I'd be happy no matter what.   
  
Ugh, I wish it were that simple.  
  
***************  
  
I felt their eyes on me and resisted the urge to throw my fork at them. I was eating! I was out of the apartment! What more did these people want?! Not that I was about to say that to them. So, my fork continued to rummage through my salad, pushing aside the purple shreds to pick up a tiny leaf.   
  
When my eyes met theirs, they just went back to business, eating their salads and drinking from their glasses. Finding a small smile, I put down my fork.   
  
"Girls, I really appreciate that your trying to help me, but your staring and your sympathy just isn't what I need right now. I've....I've just gone through a lot in a short while and in order for me to move on, I need your support." The three of them nodded. I caught the worried look of my niece and shook my head.  
  
"I'll really be fine. Just don't talk to me or mention anything about Trunks. I don't want to hear that name again for a long time." My voice was lacking the usual bitterness most people would feel in my situation. I suppose I just wasn't bitter. I was just a hurt human being. Beyond repair.   
  
***************  
  
Ain't it funny how some feelings you just can't deny  
And you can't move on even though you try  
Ain't it strange when your feelings thing you shouldn't feel  
Oh I wish this could be real  
  
***************  
  
"Excuse us," Pan says as the three of them rise above the table. I wave them off, lost in my thoughts.  
  
As the door closed behind them, Pan turned to Bra and frowned. (AN- Just so you know, this part isn't really in Goten's POV since he obviously doesn't know what's going on in the ladies room. But, this is for the reader, not Goten, so enjoy. ^.^)   
  
"I don't know anymore, Bra. I mean, maybe trying to set them back up isn't the greatest idea anymore. Look at him! He's lost in his own little world, convincing himself that he's gonna move on and give up on Trunks forever! And you saw how he treated Goten! You can't tell me that if you were in the same situation you'd be able to forgive Trunks and fall in love with him again just like *that*!"   
  
The blue-haired girl nodded in agreement, though it was a little reluctant.  
  
"I can understand your hesitancy," Julia commented from her position on the wall. Her arms crossed, she looked more professional and more her age than Bra or Pan had ever seen her.   
  
"I know none of us wants it to be over. We've all kinda melded it into our own fantasies, the love story we'd always imagined as children. And now that it's ended... It's just another painful reminder that dreams don't always come true. I know Goten, I've known him for a long time, and I know that seeing Trunks again so soon would be too hard for him.   
  
"He's smart. Albeit not as smart as your brother, Bra, but he knows the ways of the world and he knows himself. From the sounds of it, he's set on forgetting that purple-haired man, no matter how much it hurts or how long it takes. In my opinion, there's very little we can do to change his mind."   
  
"So it's agreed then," Bra said, speaking up for the first time. "Fate's gonna do it on their own now, correct?" The other two nodded in agreement. Bra sighed and threw her napkin in the garbage.   
  
"Then let's not keep him waiting."   
  
****************  
  
Pan and I walked along the boardwalk, passing the mingling visitors and natives to the city as we window shopped. Each story offered it's own little trinkets or accessories. They were small, big, detailed or plain... It was a world in it's own and how I wished I could lose myself in it.   
  
I do admit that I've relaxed a bit since lunch. Even managed to finish the meal.   
  
The young girl beside me seemed to be distracted. I almost felt bad for her. She'd be returning to college in a little over a week, leaving me and Bra, behind. She wouldn't be that far away.... Unless you considered the other side of the country far. I'm sure she'd just like to be there for me.   
  
My arm swung around her shoulder and I smiled.   
  
"Hey, no need for the sad face! I'm not sad, so you shouldn't be either." She didn't look convinced.   
  
"You know, I'm thinking about maybe going back to school myself."   
  
"What?!" She looked horrified.   
  
"Oh, no, you silly girl. Not to YOUR school. But just school in general." That seemed to relax her. "Maybe not even school. I just want a change, a new start. To try and get past...well, the past, to begin again. It may be hard, but I'm up for the challenge. How about you? You ready to face the world of college once again?" She shook her head and laughed at me.  
  
"Yeah, I guess I am. You just take care of yourself while I'm gone, okay?"   
  
"I promise."  
  
"Good." We lapsed into silence, continuing our stroll. "I wonder... what kind of job do you think I'd be good for?" She stopped and looked at me.  
  
"Hm.... Clown? Circus freak? The bearded woman?"   
  
"Hey! That's not funny." Pan stuck out her tongue at me but I just turned into haughty mood and looked down my nose at her. "So immature...  
  
"I'm serious though, what do you think? Something that I'd enjoy yet pay me enough so I won't have to keep lounging off of Julia. I hate being a money leech."   
  
"Something tells me she doesn't think like that, but if you want you can move in with Gohan and I."   
  
"Oh, well that's nice of- WHAT?! Gohan and you? What's my brother doing living with you?" She shook her head and headed to the car.  
  
"That's something he'll have to explain to you himself. But first, let's get your stuff."  
  
***************  
  
"So... Do you want to talk about it?" My eyes raised to the mirror pair of my own. The exhalation of my air wasn't loud as my hand went to rub my neck. The answer to the question was no, no I didn't, but the first sign to recovery was admittance wasn't it?  
  
I hadn't done anything wrong though, what was to admit? Everything...  
  
At least Pan wasn't here. She'd left a little while ago after making sure I'd settled in. Something about last minute school supplies.   
  
"I don't have much of a choice do I?" There wasn't much use in resisting. I needed to talk about it and he knew that, stupid smart brother that he is. I spent the two hours telling him about everything. The illegal taking of Pan to the club, the proposal, the sky-diving and the odd experiance with mom; that first kiss over his table and the dinners and everything else inbetween.   
  
He didn't speak once I'd finished. Just picked up his coffee mug, finished it off, then replaced it. All the while he held that deep contemplative stare he'd had since I was a child. Finally, when I was about to just go to my un-official room, he spoke.  
  
"I'm surprised that you ever envied me, Goten." I raised an eyebrow. That wasn't the reaction I'd expected.   
  
"I'm surprised because the truth of the matter is that I've always envied *you*." WHAT?!?!?! Since when did this happen?!  
  
"You look shocked. I wouldn't be though, Goten. I mean, you've always had your own set way of looking at things. You give out a certain level of friendliness and acceptance that people usually return. You never have to change yourself for someone, as you've just realized I'm sure. You've always been who you are, and that's something I've always respected and envied because I can sympathize with Trunks when I say that the business world can distort your self-confidence."   
  
"I see..."   
  
"There's something else..." Bringing myself forward, hands resting on knees, head resting on hands, I blinked at him. "And that would be?"   
  
"I'm not as great as you'd think I was. Goten, I got fired. I wasn't on vacation I was just...hiding out here because I felt so ashamed." My mind stopped, trying to process that last tidbit of knowledge. My brother. *My* brother got fired?! That's too much.  
  
"Your kidding!"   
  
"Unfortunately, I'm not."   
  
"I-I don't believe this! With all that you've put into being a good employee and citizen and with your dedication the fire you! Those heartless bastards! I hope you gave them what they deserve!" He avoided my eyes, a nervous laugh breaking his lips.   
  
"You didn't?! What are you, a door mat?!" His laughter expanded, finding it's way to his chest until he fell back on the couch.   
  
"What is so funny?" I frowned at him. This situation was anything but humorous if you asked me. He settled down, but still gave me little to no explanation about his reaction. 'It's hard to explain' he says. Right.   
  
***************  
  
Ain't it funny how a moment could just change your life  
And you don't want to face whats wrong or right  
Ain't it strange how fate can play a part  
In the story of your heart  
  
***************  
  
"My how the Son's have fallen, eh brother," Goten asks me, lifting the wine glass in hand before he brings it to his lips.  
  
"I will drink to that." A large gulp and the bitter fluid runs through my body, leaving a gentle buzz. I wasn't drunk yet. Far from it. Gohan on the other hand.... He was a little farther ahead than me.   
  
"We need to do something, Gohan. We can't just let this be it! We have to make ourselves better and prove to everyone that a little... misfortune won't get in our way!" He nodded and stood, shifting his weight until his world stopped spinning.   
  
"Yeah! Right!" A pause before he hiccuped.   
  
"But how?"   
  
"Just trust me brother. Now let's get you some aspirin and let's get to work!"  
  
***************  
  
One Year Later  
  
***************  
  
The key turned in the door with ease, worn in after eight months of use. Time had been going by faster as of late. The pace of life was running smooth and faultless after all this time. The business I'd suggested, an animal adoption center, was up and running. We had all sorts of domestic animals in our care and all healthy, waiting to be adopted.   
  
I felt better than I had in awhile now too. I loved the look on childrens faces when they walked into the back of the building and saw all the dogs and cats and birds. It made me love my work, a feeling I enjoyed compared to the contentment I'd only felt before.  
  
Feeding the animals fell into the pattern I'd been following, leaving me done within ten minutes. Gohan wouldn't be here for awhile. I was the main caretaker for the animals while Gohan managed the business and money aspect of it. We'd been pretty profitable since our opening, leaving me with enough money to buy out the second floor of the building as well so I could live near the animals in case of an emergency.   
  
I sat on the stool behind the countertop and pulled my book out from it's shelf, James sitting in front of me begging for attention. I've found that I have the ability to multi-task however, and can read, pet, and listen for the sound of a nasty cat fight all at the same time.   
  
Within a half hour, I got my first customer of the day. At least, that's what the toll of our doorbell indicated. I heard the person's footsteps and leaned over to try and see who it was... leading to me falling on my ass.   
  
"Ow..." I mumbled, rubbing the afflicted area.   
  
"Seems after all this time you haven't become any more graceful than you were before, Goten." I raise an eyebrow at the familiar voice and stand. Mischievious blue eyes look at me while painted fingernails pet James.  
  
"Bra? What are you doing here!" I leaned over the counter and hugged her. I hadn't seen her for ages! Well, not since last Thanksgiving when Pan had announced their break up. Seems her going back to college had been too much of a strain. I still had hope though.   
  
"Well, I was just in the neighborhood. There's somethings I feel you have a right to know now, too, that you weren't ready for before. Can we sit down?" Confused, I nodded and led her to the back. After quickly putting an out to lunch sign on the front door, I came back into the room seeing her already seated with a distant look in her eyes.  
  
"Bra, is everything okay?" She brushed back her hair and accepted a cup of tea.   
  
"Goten, what I came to talk to you about concerns Trunks..." My eyes flickered away, the grip on my cup tightening. Why? Why now, after I was finally seeking some closure? This was *not* what I needed.  
  
"I'm sorry, Bra, but if that's why you came, I'm gonna have to get back to work.."   
  
"Goten, wait." She stood and grabbed the cuff of my sleeve. Slowly, I turned and faced her.  
  
"Is it absolutely neccessary to hear the following words from you mouth? Will I *die*, if I don't hear it?"  
  
"You'll die without knowing why Trunks acted the way he did that night..." My eyes widened. What did she mean *why*? I already knew *why*! Because I hadn't been good enough for him! Tossing that thought aside, I sat down.   
  
"Okay, you have..." I set the timer on my watch. "Fifteen minutes."   
  
"How generous," she drawled, sitting down as well. A preporatory sip from her cup and she was off.  
  
"You see Goten, the reason Trunks acted like such a.."  
  
"Asshole?" Bad grammar but it worked.  
  
"Yes, an asshole as you will, because well... It wouldn't have been the first time that Jeremy had been accused of hitting on someone Trunks was romantically involved with.  
  
"You see, a few years back when Trunks was just starting out in business, he met Jeremy. He was a great guy back then, friendly, introduced Trunks to most of the people he knew! He was one of his only friends in this new, strange, business world he was going to enter where you never knew who to trust. Sadly, Trunks picked the wrong person.   
  
"He got involved with a girl, one Vanessa by name, and they were pretty close, though no where NEAR as close as he was with Jeremy. So, when she came up with the accusation that Jeremy had hit on her, he refused to believe it, even when she sued him, not Trunks, Jeremy, and got about a million dollars for sexual harrasment.   
  
"Yet Jeremy wielded such a power over Trunks, he still managed to convince him that he was innocent." Bra looked down, frowning. Sadness tinged her eyes, but she moved on.  
  
"Then Trunks met you. Beyond what I'm sure you believed, Trunks did really love you. A lot more than you thought. It's just that the idea that Jeremy would do that again, to someone he really loved, was too much and he went into denial. Situations like that...they just go right over his analytical, thick head." She shook her head and sighed, taking a drink from her mug yet again.   
  
"But what about the lies? Why did he say everything if he really loved me?"   
  
"I can't say anything in defence of his lies. All I can say is that his world, his occupational world, twisted the brother I once no. Not towards evil, and not towards selfishness, but towards the idea that you were only worth how much you looked, how much you were worth, and how much you impressed. He was in that world long before you came into the picture, Goten. It would be too much for you to expect him to change so quickly."  
  
"No! No fucking way am I going to feel sorry for him! If he loved me, he shouldn't have said that! He should have accepted me for who and what I am, be me poor or be me rich!" Bra shook her head.  
  
"Why should he accept you for who you are, if you can't accept him?"   
  
Huh?!  
  
"See, just as I've explained, the image thing is just a manner of training. He's been 'brain-washed' for lack of a better word into thinking that way. In the same way that a child who's been told he's bad all his life will grow up to think he's a bad person, so has Trunks who's been trained to think in that mind-frame. It's not his fault. He's just the product of the wrong moral ethics."  
  
I can see her point but... "It still bothers me though. He took the words of his best friend over mine."   
  
"Goten, put yourself in his shoes. How would you have reacted?" I wanted to say I would've had my friend thrown in jail, but if I was going to be honest with her as well as myself, I knew the truth.  
  
"I suppose I may have acted that way. I don't know if I would've picked him up, but I know I'd be confused."   
  
"Yes, I quite agree, but you should also factor in the stress he was under at the time." That's right... That meeting and those people. He was really tense about that.   
  
"I may be partly wrong about you not being able to change him though. He did wear that outfit to that meeting." I'd forgotten about that... She stood up and I followed suit, walking her to the door.   
  
"I'm glad we were able to have this talk, Goten. I would have told you sooner but... I think only now were you truly ready to hear what I've said."   
  
She paused at the front door and turned to me.   
  
"Has this helped you now, Goten? Do you understand why now?" I scratched my head, flipping over the window sign.   
  
"Yeah, I do. It won't do me much good though. From what I've read in the papers, Trunks has been out of the county the past four months doing business in Europe. I'll probably never see him again." She slid on a pair of sunglasses and opened the door.  
  
"Don't be so sure, Son Goten. I'll talk to you later." And in a swish of blue, she was gone, leaving me to think, a dangerous idea in indeed.  
  
***************  
  
Sometimes I think that a true love can never be  
I just believe that somehow it wasn't meant for me  
Life can be cruel in a way that I can't explain  
And I don't think that I could face it all again  
  
***************  
  
Yesterday had gone on without any other interruptions, no matter how hard I prayed for one. It would've been nice to have something to take my mind off that conversation with her but I just..couldn't. It was frustrating. And her last comment still haunted me. 'Don't be so sure, Son Goten.' So prophetic. Like at any moment he was going to fall on me from the sky. HA! That'd be funny. I could stick him in a cage and sell him as a cold turkey.  
  
That reminded me. I had turkey for lunch today and it was lunch time! Perfect timing.   
  
Halfway through my sandwhich I heard the ringing of the door bell once again. Cursing my luck, I quickened my chewing, biting my tongue in the process.  
  
"Son of a bitch!"  
  
"Excuse me, is anyone here? I'm looking to buy a cat..." Yes! A cat lover! Perfect.  
  
Wiping off any crumbs that may have been hidden on my face or clothes, I emerged from the back and stopped, my heart stuck in my throat.   
  
There he was.   
  
***************  
  
I barely know you but somehow I know what your about  
A deeper love I've found in you and I no longer doubt  
You've touched my heart and it altered every plan I've made  
And now I feel like I don't have to be afraid  
  
***************  
  
Blue met brown. Light blue met dark brown. Sky blue met chocolate brown. And history repeated itself.  
  
"Uh...Hello there sir, you said you were looking for a cat? We've got all kinds of all shapes and sizes in the cat room, would you care to follow me?" Following into my normal work routine was much easier than acting like I'd only been a day away from marrying this man a year ago.   
  
He didn't speak at first, just following me as a convict did an executioner to the gallows. Was he feeling guilty? I suppose such an analogy would lead one to presume so, but I guess I didn't really know him well enough to tell.   
  
Bringing out two kittens, one purely black with white paws and another a burnt orange color like my James', I held them and gave the basic on each.   
  
"Goten-"  
  
"This one here is named Socks, an obvious name I'm sure, but they don't really mind. She's a female, eight weeks old, healthy with all necessary shots being given. She's friendly, very cuddly, and enjoys children.   
  
"Goten-!"  
  
"Norman on the other hand is a strapping young male, Socks brother, also eight weeks, a little smaller than the rest of his litter but still caught up in everything. He tends to just stick with one person of whom he gets attatched to and may be a little moody. Both are good pets though. Unless you were looking for something a little older..."  
  
"Goten!! I'm not just here to look at cats!" I raised an eyebrow at him before replacing the two to their proper place.   
  
"Well then, why *else* would you be in an animal adoption center? You said you were looking for a cat and that's what I've done. I've shown you a few of our many available cats." He frowned, and I could feel his frustration. Good, let him frustrate. I had no problem with that.   
  
"Look, the real reason I'm here is-"  
  
"Yes, that reminds me. Your not even supposed to be in this country! What's with the sudden change?" His eyes widened. He was surprised I'd kept track of him. I hadn't really... Only to cut out the pictures and stick it at the bottom of James' kitty litter. Immature and childish to be sure, but I sought recovery in the most appealing way. Kitty voodoo.  
  
"Ah, so you didn't read today's paper, eh? My company's expanding and I'm here to supervise it." He smiled and his body language relaxed, his arms loose, hands in his pockets.  
  
"Uh huh. That still doesn't explain why your *here*."  
  
"I told you I wanted a cat."  
  
"But there was something else too." Trunks looked a little more reserved; more childlike now.  
  
"Yes.... there was something else."  
  
"Yeah, and what was that?"   
  
"I... I wanted to ask you to lunch. Just as friends, and just so I can explain myself. This past year's been full of a lot of growth on my part and there's always been something weighing on the back of my mind. What I did to you." He reached over and pet Socks, who lay on her back, belly waiting to be rubbed.  
  
"I know that I don't even deserve to be speaking to you know after that stupid, idiotic, selfish, moronic thing I did, but if you just give me lunch, I'll leave you alone forever if that's what you want." His hand fell to his side and he looked up to me, blue eyes clear.  
  
"So what do you say?"  
  
***************  
  
"I can't believe I'm doing this...I can NOT believe that I am doing this! WHY am I doing this?!"  
  
Shoving my feet into a pair of blue jeans to go with the loose sweater I was wearing, I cursed loudly, getting weird looks from the several cats, yes seven cats, on my bed.   
  
"I haven't on a date since last August! The idea of even being in a relationship has been pro-pro-posterous," I pulled up the pair and sat on the ground, breath a little faster than usual. "Why should I do this." My fingers grabbed the tennis shoes a few feet away. It was a statement, not a question. The reluctant words of a man who hasn't felt romantic love in too long.  
  
"Not that I'd jump into his pants just becaue I'm a little lonely. I have more self-control than that! It's called Playgirl!" After finishing the knots of the laces and stretching, I was out the door. The cafe we'd choosen to meet at was just a few blocks away, across from a park I often took the dogs for a walk in. It was friendly, it was open, and had a freaking *awesome* cup o' joe.   
  
Trunks was already there by the time I arrived. A newspaper in his hands, he looked like you average, ordinary guy which really surprised me. He didn't look like he owned branches of a successful business around the country or that he had beautiful homes in every dream location there was. He looked... like a person. A tangible person.   
  
I liked it.   
  
After we'd ordered our drinks and a little food, we were chatting like old friends from college, joking, laughing, making stupid comments that gave no relevance to the topic.. It was nice. Really nice. I still stayed on my guard though. He may act different but he was Trunks Briefs, the same man of whom broke my world a time ago. I couldn't take too big of a chance.  
  
Trunks had asked Jeremy about two days after the break-up if he had, in fact, made a move on Goten. The bloke confessed and, this is my favorite part, he broke his nose.   
  
We left later on, leaving me with elation. There were obvious changes in Trunks that were very attractive. His hair was well-kept now, though a small strand of two are still known to fall in his face. His clothes weren't Armani at all. Far from it. I could swear to kami the shirt we was wearing had been at Walmart.   
  
Not only his looks, but his demeanor was different too. He was relaxed, calm, confident. Not that arrogant confident, but just the idea that he was happy with who he was. That was probably the product of his study of Buddhism and trying to find innerpeace while working out treaties with other companies.   
  
He was the kind of guy I'd seen him as when we'd first met. That perfect guy I'd waited for for so long.   
  
Trunks finally seemed to be perfect for me.  
  
***************  
  
Ain't it funny how some feelings you just can't deny  
And you can't move on even though you try  
Ain't it strange when your feelings thing you shouldn't feel  
Oh I wish this could be real  
  
***************  
  
We stopped in front of the blue painted store and I turned, trying to think of a way to get rid of him without sounding rude. Quite the opposite of my previous thoughts, but that's why I had to get rid of him. If I didn't I'd pounce him and that wouldn't be good. I needed time to think about how I was going to solve the enigma Trunks had presented himself to me as.   
  
"So, this was fun." I nodded, looking towards the store. Gohan was busy handling a customer, obvlivious to Trunks and I's little rendevous.   
  
"Would it be okay if I came over later? To get a cat, of course."   
  
"Of course. Anyone's welcome to this store." Taking that as a cue, I turned and entered the store. I was mad at myself, slipping so easily back into the frame of mind that had gotten me hurt last time. This time, I was going to be careful. He wouldn't catch by surprise this time. No siree bob.   
  
***************  
  
Trunks stopped by everyday for the next week, checking out all the animals we had yet never seeming partial to a specific one. Maybe I was just being paranoid, but maybe he wasn't coming to the store for the critters?   
  
It was almost time to close. September was warmer than last year, but that may just be because of the different outlook I have now. Sweeping up litter that had spilled onto the floor, I noticed the day's paper. I didn't remember putting there. It must've been Gohans...  
  
Holy Shit. I sat down, turning to the appropriate page and read.   
  
'After a year of hard work, Briefs Inc. has built a successful empire without the help of Actkinson and Co. who offered the companies president, Trunks Briefs, a generous contract that would make it one of the leading business' in the world. After his turn down, Mr. Briefs also lost his partner, John Burgess. This sudden success is due to a few things.   
  
'One is Mr. Briefs dedication to having a branch in almost every state to lower the unemployment rate of the area by giving opportunities to the unemployed and college diploma-less people to start over, teaching them the trade and getting them jobs that get them working again. Another seems to be attributed to his popularity. Most people have come to be impressed by Mr. Briefs ignorance of high class brands, choosing to deck himself out as an average American. This gives him an appeal not only to the some of the richest people in the world, but to common Joe. And this is only the beginning.'  
  
Well then. This is something you don't expect to see everyday. So my hunch was correct. He has changed. He didn't even take that deal. And he's helping out all those people... Trunks wants a cat for god's sake! If that's not a change I can't think of what is.   
  
I was about to run up the stairs when speaking of the devil, I saw a flash of purple throught the front door.   
  
Playing it cool, I just leaned against the countertop, waiting for him to enter. He smiled at me, looking around the store.  
  
"Sorry I came so late in the day, I was held up late by the meeting. How was your day?"   
  
"Oh, it was good. Just the normal day for me." I smiled before sitting on the counter and spinnning around to face him. My face suddenly right in front of his, minus about five or six inches, surprised him.   
  
"Thank you for asking."   
  
"Uh.. No problem."   
  
"I have a question for you Trunks. A hypothetical question. Do you mind?" He raised an eyebrow but just nodded. "Shoot."  
  
"Okay. Saying we got back together. *If* we got back together, where would we live?"   
  
"Well, I just got a place on the coast. Very nice location. I'm sure you'd enjoy it. Why?"  
  
"Hm, good enough. What about my job? What would you say if you were asked about it?"   
  
"I don't make the same mistake twice, Goten. I'd say just what you did and if they had a problem with it, too bad for them." BIG points for him there.  
  
"And finally..."   
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"If I were to kiss you, would you promise that any trust ties with perverted best friends would be overun by the trust I'd be giving you by taking that chance?"   
  
"Of course."   
  
"Good. I'm glad we've gotten that settled." Before he could answer, I grabbed the collar of his shirt and brought him forward, meeting his lips with mine as though they'd never left.   
  
I know I was taking a big risk giving Trunks another chance, but not only did I understand him better now, we were both better people, having grown and begun to see life the way it really is. Every relationship, whether with someone new or someone old, are full of risks. The risks with Trunks I was willing to take. Because this time we'd take it slow. This time, we'd do it right.   
  
And even if we don't, I can always have a pre-nup written up.  
  
***************  
  
I locked away my heart but you just set it free  
Emotions I felt held me back from what my life should be  
I pushed you far away and yet you stayed with me  
I guess it means that you and me were meant to be  
  
***************  
  
I stared at my husband eight months later as we drove down the country road. He had something up his sleeve. Things had been running as expected. Not perfect, which was good. If they were perfect, I kenw I'd have something to worry about.  
  
We had fights, but we also had make-ups which were always worth it. Our business were growing and almost every home in my district had at least two pets bought from my store. I'd decided to go to a night school to get a veterinary degree so I could expand the store and offer more services. Our lives were just as we'd imagined and the best part was, we were living it together.   
  
Trunks had given me one lie that day, not that it was too important. We decided that we wouldn't live together right away, work causing a small problem. We always found time together though and now that we were married, we'd agreed that it was a good idea to move together.   
  
That's where we were headed in my mind. There weren't many other things he could really surprise me with.   
  
As we pulled into the driveway, my jaw dropped and I jumped out of the car. In front of us was my old home, a little bigger than I'd remembered it, but still the same. I walked in the door, seeing all my furniture mixed with some of his own, back in it's original place.   
  
Trunks stepped beside me and I hugged him with all I was worth. This was one of the best things the guy had ever done for me. And this was only the first day of being married. He showed great promise for our future.   
  
A small bell was heard and I released him in time to see James, followed by Socks enter from the bedroom wearing new collars. I picked up the now cat, and pet her black coat.   
  
"So, you finally made a decision huh?"   
  
"Yep. It wasn't that hard though. From the description you gave, she'll be just perfect." I thought back on my words and nothing really stood out until..  
  
"Oh no. Your not referring to-?"  
  
"You bet I am." He reached out and pet Socks' head. "This one here is named Socks, an obvious name I'm sure, but they don't really mind. She's a female, eight weeks old, healthy with all necessary shots being given. She's friendly, very cuddly, and enjoys children."   
  
"My god Trunk." I turned to him, mouth wide. "Children? US?! How many crazy people do you think this world needs?!" His smile charmed me as his arms found their way to around my waist.   
  
"I think that if us two crazy people haven't gone insane yet, our kids should be just fine. Besides, if they come out crazy, we can always have them killed."  
  
"Trunks!" I hit his arm as he laughed.  
  
"You know I'm kidding. With someone like you as one of their parents, they should turn out fine."   
  
I would have argued with him more, but his technique, which had become only better with time, took me away.   
  
He was probably right. Our children, however he planned on getting them, wouldn't be too bad. We may be crazy, but we wouldn't damage them. I didn't think we would.  
  
It's not so much the children that I fear though. The people I fear for the most is us.   
  
We hardly survived eachother? How would we handle children?  
  
I guess we'll just have to wait and see.   
  
***************  
  
BWAHAHAHAHA! I didn't want CR to end so bad that I left it open for a sequel! Not sure how many people would actually WANT a sequel ^.^ But hey, it's an option in case I get CR-deprived. Thank you everyone, it's been a great and long road! See you in my other fics, and maybe the sequel if I get inspired. Guess we'll just have to wait and see. ~.^ -Jack 


End file.
